Baavgai Bolohson

I saw this film today at the Braunschweig International Film Festival and I was deeply moved.

The story is about the self chosen responsibility of a boy for his two younger siblings because their widowed mother could not feed them. When he realized that her mother wants to move them back to the countryside, he spoke up for himself and the two younger siblings because he saw the importance of going to school.

Left alone by the mother, he is torn between earning money, going to school and caring for his younger siblings. The film shows the daily difficulties surviving in a yurt even when there is little heat and little to eat. A wonderful film with excellent characters.

I know next to nothing about Mongolia, which was an additional reason why I wanted to see this fantastic film. So thanks to it, I travelled around this country and saw both the new-built capital city as well as the outskirts and the countryside, where the main character, a teenager Ulzii lives with his troubled mother and three younger siblings. I've seen colder winters, but without enough coal and wood there's no way of surviving in the yurt.

From what I understand it is not in the culture to ask for help when in need, so Ulzii is faced with decisions to make, which leads him straight into adulthood.

This heartwarming picture reminds us of so many essential things such as responsibility for the young in the family, the importance of education, caring for the climate both in your yurt and your world, modest living and many others. I left the cinema with a smile on my face and in my heart.

Really very good. Poignant socio-economic portrait of city life in modern Mongolia, more particularly of poor people who wish to get by by acquiring a good education, among other things. The harsh and cruel side often associated with extreme poverty, hard to receive, is relevant, effective and striking. We also see all the resilience, mutual aid and generosity that human beings can demonstrate. The point presented can be transposed almost anywhere in the world, even in so-called rich countries. Excellent soundtrack to support the story. The recurring musical theme is very beautiful and moving. However, at the beginning of the film, there is an error in the translation of a mathematical term, in the subtitles, surely coming from the fact that the translation was done from Mongolian to English, then to French (confusion between ''integrals'' and ''integers'' which gives ''integers'' in the translation rather than the correct term ''integrals''). A relatively open ending, as is customary in films from the Orient. This work presents us with beautiful life lessons. Good duration.

As I say, brilliant, but.... It is maybe part of the plot to leave us wondering?

Is it sufficiently well constructed to feel good as you leave the cinema?

It won't sell Mongolia as a holiday destination, but it will make you wonder whether a country with such inequality, needs a movie like this?

A sad story beautifully illustrated, portrayed, evaluated, constructed and made.

I know nothing about the makers of the film, but they themselves know a lot about making a film, even if you feel uncomfortable, part of the beauty?

Makes you want see more, about Mongolia, its people, its culture, its future and its film industry.

What I do know is that Chinese exploitants have ruined probably their best option to develope their economy by producing probably the finest Cashmere clothing. By creating so many goats to produce the wool that the land is laid bare.

Probably, European and other businessmen required the Chinese to ruin the commercial future?

Cinematography decent, phasing great, story not half bad. Use of Mise-en scene and Chekhov's gun are non existent. Things just tend to happen. Much of the dramatic aspects are just told or has no impact, obviously because it was never built upon. Some concepts are hard for foreign audience to understand. To the director and writer of this film: SHOW NOT TELL!

Since it's director's first feature film it's decent better than what's coming out today in Mongolian film industry. But it's not great achievement or whatever most people say it is. Honestly it would be shameful if this film was ever to be applied to Academic awards.