SCREENING AND TALK :INTRODUCTION ON THE CINEMA OF MONGOLIA

SCREENING AND TALK :INTRODUCTION ON THE CINEMA OF MONGOLIA

December 12, 2021, 10.00 AM-12.00 PM

Venue: SF World Cinema, Theatre 9, CentralWorld

Introduction on the cinema of Mongolia. Watch a short film "Morin Khuur" (The Horsehead Fiddle) and join a discussion on Mongolian Cinema with H.E. Tumut Amarasanaa, the Ambassador of Mongolia to Thailand, with Mr. Panu Aree and Kong Rithdee.

Morin Khuur (The Horsehead Fiddle)

Mongolia/ 2021/ 20 minutes/ Mongolian

Directed by Joshua Sternlicht

Synopsis:

This story melds a traditional Mongolian legend with a prevalent climate change issue in a nomadic community. The film humanizes and expresses how water scarcity, drought and desertification directly affect human relationships. Two childhood friends are united by a horse given from one to the other as a prize in a wrestling match between them during the Naadam Games. Later, as adults the horse falls ill from digesting plastic. At the same time their nomadic community faces an urgent water shortage. Confronted by the problem at a community meeting, it emerges how each evaluates the problem in conflicting ways. Protagonist, Batu, is a man of tradition and status-quo who decides the solution as in the past is to dig a new well. However, his friend Dovchin sees a deeper issue requiring a different way of thinking with a longer term solution and reflects on the worsening effects of climate change. Ultimately, a job offer in the city lures Dovchin’s family away, but not before he creates a gift of transformation for Batu out of the very fallen horse who bound them together.