On a Tightrope on AllMovie

Filmmaker Petr Lom works within the strict control of the Chinese government to offer a moving account of four orphans descended from a thousand-year-old Muslim minority known as the Uighur as they struggle to learn the ancient tradition of tightrope walking in preparation of eventually striking out on their own. With more than 8 million people populating the expansive landscapes of Northwestern China, the Uighur people represent China's largest Muslim minority. From the relentless demands of their scornful instructor to the remarkable appearance of a former tightrope walker who relishes the opportunity to work with the youngsters, these four orphans try their absolute hardest to persevere in a world that remains blissfully ignorant of their remarkable plight.