Cinema of Mongolia

Last updated

Cinema of Mongolia
No. of screens 24 (2011) [1]
Main distributorsTengis cinema
Urguu cinema
Soyombo
Prime Cineplex
Hunnu Cinema
Gegeenten cinema [2]
Produced feature films (2011) [3]
Fictional1 (7.7%)
Animated-
Documentary12 (92.3%)
Number of admissions (2011) [4]
Total1,916,700
Gross box office [4]
Total MNT 5.11 billion

The cinema of Mongolia has been strongly influenced by the cinema of Russia, which differentiates it from cinematic developments in the rest of Asia.

Contents

History

It is assumed that the first cinematographic performances in Mongolia happened between 1903 and 1913, as private events for the prince Tögs-Ochiryn Namnansüren and the Jebtsundamba in the capital Urga.

After the socialist revolution, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party decided in its fifth congress of 1925 to use movies as an instrument of mass education. From 1926 on, mobile projection facilities would regularly show Soviet films to the Mongolian people. The first permanent cinema, Ard (ард, 'people') opened in the capital (now named Ulaanbaatar) in 1934. Eventually, every aimag center would have fixed cinemas, and every sums of Mongolia or negdel would have a mobile cinema. In the 1990s, many cinemas, fixed and mobile alike, closed down or reduced activities.

Mongol Kino

The national film studios, Mongol Kino, were founded in 1935, with Soviet technical assistance. Their first productions were a documentary on the "47th anniversary of the 1st May" and a fictional story named A Mongol son (Mongol Khüü) directed by the Russian Ilya Trauberg and Mongolian Demberel Baldan. The first Mongolian-directed movie was the black-and-white short feature Norjmaa's Destiny (Norjmaagiin Zam) by Baldan in 1938.

From then on, Mongolian movie production focused on heroic revolutionary propaganda and ancient popular legends, still often under Russian direction. This program was very successful with movies like Sükhbaatar (1942) and Tsogt Taij (1945). The studios of Mongol Kino also produced documentaries and current news reports.

1950s and 1960s

After World War II, the party moved the focus on working-class heroes, reflected in movies like New Year (Shine Jil, 1954) by Tseveeny Zandraa. Examples of this genre are Awakening (Serelt, 1957) by S. Genden and The Rejected Girl (Gologdson khüükhen) by Dendevyn Chimid-Osor. In 1955, the first musical comedy appeared, which started a trend that continued into the 1960s. The first color movie was The Golden Yurt (Altan Örgöö, 1961), based on a folktale. It was produced in cooperation with the East German DEFA studios. The music of the film, written by L. Mördorj, was played and recorded by the GDR Radio orchestra and became a classic of the Mongolian symphony. As a fairy tale film, it is rich with match moving and other cinematographic special effects.

1970s and 1980s

While the production of documentaries increased, fictional stories turned to everyday life in the 1970s. One of the most famous movies of that time, The Crystal Clear Tamir River (Tungalag Tamir, 1970) by Ravjagiin Dorjpalam, based on the novel by Chadraabalyn Lodoidamba, is however set during Mongolia's 1921 revolution. Other well-known productions were The Legend of the Mother Oasis (Ehe Bürdiin domog), made in 1976 by Gombojav Jigjidsuren (Гомбожавын Жигжидсүрэн) and Jamyangiin Buntar (Жамъяангийн Бунтар), and The Five Colors of the Rainbow (Solongiin tavan öngö) in 1979. The Leading Wrestler Garuda (Garid Magnai, 1983), by Jamyangiin Buntar, marks a turning point where the authors liberate themselves from existing power structures. Queen Mandukhai the Wise (Mongolian: Мандухай сэцэн хатан, 1987) is a Mongolian film based on a novel of the same title by Shagdarjavyn Natsagdorj (1981) and directed by Begziin Baljinnyam, marking the reflection of the political reformation movement perestroika in Mongolia.

1990s and 2000s

After the introduction of the market economy, most mobile and permanent cinemas closed down. Mongolian productions had to seek partners outside of the former COMECON. However, some young filmmakers of the transformation period, such as N. Gankhuyag, B. Uranchimeg, and J. Binder, made successful domestic films.

The movie Genghis Khan, Under Power of the Eternal Sky, starring Enkhtaivan Agvaantseren, was the first Mongolian-Japanese co-production. State of Dogs (Nokhoin Oron, 1998) was written and directed collaboratively by the Belgian Peter Brosens and the Mongolian Dorjkhandyn Turmunkh.

The director Byambasuren Davaa has had international success with the German-Mongolian co-productions The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003, nominated for an Academy Award as a foreign documentary in 2005) and The Cave of the Yellow Dog (2005).

Elsnii Nuudel (Mongolian : Элсний нүүдэл, Movement of Sand), was a successful movie produced for the domestic market in 2007. Later well known films include Lim Negen Durlal and Goyoliin Daashinz.

The 2008 historical film A Pearl in the Forest (Mongolian : Мойлхон) by director Enkhtaivan Agvaantseren is one of the first films to openly talk about the events of the 1930s and the impact of the rise of Soviet communism on Mongolia. It is also one of the first films intended to present the history of the Buryats, one of the ethnic groups present in Mongolia.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Poland</span> Filmmaking in Poland

The history of cinema in Poland is almost as long as the history of cinematography, and it has universally recognized achievements, even though Polish films tend to be less commercially available than films from several other European nations.

Articles related to Mongolia include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Mongolia</span>

The culture of Mongolia has been shaped by the country's nomadic tradition and its position at the crossroads of various empires and civilizations. Mongolian culture is influenced by the cultures of the Mongolic, Turkic, and East Asian peoples, as well as by the country's geography and its history of political and economic interactions with other nations.

<i>The Story of the Weeping Camel</i> 2003 German-Mongolian film by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni

The Story of the Weeping Camel is a 2003 German docudrama distributed by ThinkFilm. It was released internationally in 2004. The film was directed and written by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni. The plot is about a family of nomadic shepherds in the Gobi Desert trying to save the life of a rare white bactrian camel calf after it was rejected by its mother.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Colombia</span> Filmmaking in Colombia

Cinema of Colombia refers to film productions made in Colombia, or considered Colombian for other reasons. Colombian cinema, like any national cinema, is a historical process with industrial and artistic aspects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byambasuren Davaa</span> Mongolian filmmaker

Byambasuren Davaa, also known as Davaagiin Byambasüren, is a Mongolian filmmaker currently residing in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Bulgaria</span> Filmmaking in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has been producing films since 1915. Bulgarian cinema is known for the pioneering work of directors like Donyo Donev in the field of animation. The filming and screening of Vasil Gendov's film Bulgaran are Gallant (1915) is considered to be the beginning of Bulgarian cinematography. Historically, Bulgarian films have been noted for their realism, social themes and technical innovation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Estonia</span> Overview of the cinema of Estonia

Cinema of Estonia is the film industry of the Republic of Estonia. The motion pictures have won international awards and each year new Estonian films are seen at film festivals around the globe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Ukraine</span> Filmmaking in Ukraine

Ukrainian cinema comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of Ukraine and also by Ukrainian film makers abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Hungary</span> Filmmaking in Hungary

Hungary has had a notable cinema industry since the beginning of the 20th century, including Hungarians who affected the world of motion pictures both within and beyond the country's borders. The former could be characterized by directors István Szabó, Béla Tarr, or Miklós Jancsó; the latter by William Fox and Adolph Zukor, the founders of Fox Studios and Paramount Pictures respectively, or Alexander Korda, who played a leading role in the early period of British cinema. Examples of successful Hungarian films include Merry-go-round, Mephisto, Werckmeister Harmonies and Kontroll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Azerbaijan</span> Filmmaking in Azerbaijan

Cinema of Azerbaijan dates back to the 19th century. Azerbaijan is one of the first countries in the world involved in cinematography. The first Azerbaijani film was a thirty second long silent film called The Oil Gush Fire in Bibiheybat, which was recorded using the cinematograph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Lithuania</span> Overview of the cinema of Lithuania

Films have been made in Lithuania since the early twentieth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Latvia</span> Overview of the cinema of Latvia

Cinemas of Latvia date back to 1910 when the first short films were made. The first cinematic screening in Riga took place on May 28, 1896. By 1914, all major cities in Latvia had cinemas where newsreels, documentaries, and mostly foreign-made short films were screened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Cyprus</span> Filmmaking in Cyprus

The cinema of Cyprus came into existence much later than the cinema of most other countries, with the late 1960s generally being accepted as its earliest history, and it has generally undergone extremely slow growth due to the island's small population, geographical location, a lack of interest, and more attention being given to local political tensions.

In parallel to what happened in other Soviet republics, a cinema of Tajikistan was promoted by the Soviet state, and declined in the first years after the independence, before being revitalized through the efforts of the new government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Moldova</span> Filmmaking in Moldova

The cinema of Moldova developed in the early 1960s during the Soviet period, experiencing a flowering of about a decade and a half. Stagnation followed, and after the Moldavian SSR became independent in 1991, the industry almost completely disappeared.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of North Macedonia</span> Filmmaking in North Macedonia

Cinema of North Macedonia refers to film industry based in North Macedonia or any motion-picture made by Macedonians abroad. Janaki and Milton Manaki are considered the founding fathers. The first feature film produced by the country was Frosina (1952) and the most famous director is Milčo Mančevski. The first and only Macedonian movie theater chain is Kinoverzum.

The Two White Horses of Genghis Khan is a Mongolian epic in alliterative verse, with a number of different versions. It is one of the oldest Mongolian literary works and supposedly hails from the 13th/14th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Kazakhstan</span> Overview of the cinema of Kazakhstan

Cinema of Kazakhstan refers to the film industry based in Kazakhstan. Cinema in Kazakhstan can be traced back to the early 20th century. Today, Kazakhstan produces approximately fifteen full-length films each year.

Jigjidsüren Gombojav is a Mongolian film director and screenwriter. His films include The First Steps (1974), The Legend of Mother Oasis (1975), Khatan-Bator (Хатанбаатар) (1981), Tears of the Rock Monument (1990), Warm Ashes (1991), and Traces of Existence (1992). He was awarded the highest honor in Mongolia for artists, the People's Artist of Mongolia, in 2007 for his contribution to Mongolian cinema and television, and the highest literature award in Mongolia, D. Natsagdorj Literature Award, in 2011 for his documentary film about the poet D. Natsagdorj.

References

  1. "Table 8: Cinema Infrastructure - Capacity". UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  2. "Table 6: Share of Top 3 distributors (Excel)". UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  3. "Table 1: Feature Film Production - Genre/Method of Shooting". UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Table 11: Exhibition - Admissions & Gross Box Office (GBO)". UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2013.