CITY OF WIND

Ze is seventeen, shy, a good student – and a shaman. In Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, he studies for the exams that are meant to secure him a place in a cold, achievement-driven society, while at the same time calling on the spirit of his ancestors to help neighbours and petitioners. He carries both roles without contradiction, until he meets Maralaa. With her, his senses awaken, another reality opens up, and his connection to the spirit grows fragile. “City of Wind” by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir, a Mongolian film from 2023, tells of coming of age in a country that has become urban without letting go of its nomadic traditions.

For the Mongolian director Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir it is her first feature film, co-produced with France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany and Qatar. She tells the story calmly and without exoticism; Mongolia’s past, present and future lie layered in a single figure. It premiered in 2023 in the Orizzonti section in Venice, where Tergel Bold-Erdene won the award for best actor as Ze; Mongolia submitted the film for the Oscars. It was shown at Around the World in 14 Films in Berlin in 2023 in the Berlinale World Cinema Fund section.

Shown at the 2023 edition of Around the World in 14 Films.

All films 2023 · Film Archive