My Beautiful Jinjiimaa is a 2008 film from Mongolia. Jinjiimaa is a deaf-mute who lives as a nomad on the Mongolian steppe. Sukhee is her companion, a middle-aged man with a lame leg; they are forced together because they are both social outcasts. Jinjiimaa is raped by the local Communist Party chairman, whereupon she shoots him but doesn't kill him. Sukhee takes the rap for the shooting and spends six years in prison. Upon his release he goes back to Jinjiimaa, but they can't escape the past.
The film is somewhat handicapped by the No Budget Mongolian filmmaking, but buoyed by strong performances. It's also a Tear Jerker, so bring your kleenex.
Tropes:
- Bittersweet Ending: Jinjiimaa and her daughter are reunited but Sukhee falls victim to a Diabolus ex Machina.
- Department of Child Disservices: After Jinjiimaa departs to undergo surgery that will restore her hearing and speech, the local Communist authorities assumed that she has abandoned her family and seek to take the girl away to an orphanage. The real reason turns out to be that the party chairman is the girl's father, and doesn't want Sukhee to be guardian to the child.
- Diabolus ex Machina: Just when Sukhee is about to be reunited with Jinjiimaa, he's run over by a car.
- Tragically Disabled Love Interest: Sukhee at first seems to be motivated by protecting Jinjiimaa. And their disabilities are played for all the drama.
- Flashback: Several, such as Jinjiimaa's rape and The Reveal.
- Melodrama: This movie wants to make you cry.
- Never Found the Body: After the yurt burns down everyone assumes that Sukhee and Jinjiimaa's daughter are dead, but in fact they escaped.
- Rape as Drama: Jinjiimaa winds up pregnant and having a daughter.
- The Reveal: Although it wasn't hard to guess—Jinjiimaa's daughter is the product of her rape by the chairman.
- Scenery Porn: The Mongolian steppe in winter.
- Time Skip: A card that says "15 Years Later" moves us forward to find Sukhee and Jinjiimaa's daughter living in the city.
