| Cinema of Mongolia | |
|---|---|
| No. ofscreens | 73 (2025)[1] |
| Main distributors | Tengis cinema Urgoo Cinema Soyombo Prime Cineplex Hunnu Cinema Gegeenten cinema Cinema Next[2] |
| Produced feature films (2011)[3] | |
| Fictional | 1 (7.7%) |
| Animated | - |
| Documentary | 12 (92.3%) |
| Number of admissions (2024)[4] | |
| Total | 2,700,000 |
| Gross box office (2024)[4] | |
| Total | MNT 31.1 billion |
Thecinema of Mongolia has been strongly influenced by thecinema of Russia, which differentiates it from cinematic developments in the rest of Asia.
It is assumed that the first cinematographic performances inMongolia happened between 1903 and 1913, as private events for the princeTögs-Ochiryn Namnansüren and theJebtsundamba in the capitalUrga.
After the socialist revolution, theMongolian 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 showSoviet films to the Mongolian people. The first permanent cinema, Ard (ард, 'people') opened in the capital (now namedUlaanbaatar) in 1934. Eventually, everyaimag center would have fixed cinemas, and everysums of Mongolia ornegdel would have a mobile cinema. In the 1990s, many cinemas, fixed and mobile alike, closed down or reduced activities.
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 namedA Mongol son (Mongol Khüü) directed by the RussianIlya Trauberg and MongolianDemberel Baldan. The first Mongolian-directed movie was the black-and-white short featureNorjmaa'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 likeSükhbaatar (1942) andTsogt Taij (1945). The studios of Mongol Kino also produced documentaries and current news reports.
After World War II, the party moved the focus on working-class heroes, reflected in movies likeNew Year (Shine Jil, 1954) by the first professional filmmaker of Mongolia,Tseveeny Zandraa. Tseveeny Zandraa, also one of the initial members of the Writers' Union of Mongolia], was a professor atThe University of Finance and Economics of Mongolia, when he realized he wanted to be a filmmaker. WWII was already at its peak when he headed to Russia to study atThe Russian State University of Cinematography becoming their first International Student in 1943. Examples of this genre areAwakening (Serelt, 1957) by S. Genden andThe Rejected Girl (Gologdson khüükhen) byDendevyn Chimid-Osor. In 1955, the first musical comedy appeared, which started a trend that continued into the 1960s. The first color movie wasThe Golden Yurt (Altan Örgöö, 1961), based on a folktale. It was produced in cooperation with theEast GermanDEFA 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 Mongoliansymphony. As a fairy tale film, it is rich withmatch moving and othercinematographicspecial effects.
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 byChadraabalyn Lodoidamba, is however set during Mongolia's 1921 revolution. Other well-known productions wereThe Legend of the Mother Oasis (Ehe Bürdiin domog), made in 1976 byGombojav Jigjidsuren (Гомбожавын Жигжидсүрэн) andJamyangiin Buntar (Жамъяангийн Бунтар), andThe Five Colors of the Rainbow (Solongiin tavan öngö) in 1979.The Leading WrestlerGaruda (Garid Magnai, 1983), by Jamyangiin Buntar, marks a turning point where the authors liberate themselves from existing power structures.Queen Mandukhai the Wise [mn] (Mongolian:Мандухай сэцэн хатан, 1987) is a Mongolian film based on a novel of the same title byShagdarjavyn Natsagdorj (1981) and directed byBegziin Baljinnyam, marking the reflection of the political reformation movementperestroika in Mongolia.
After the introduction of the market economy, most mobile and permanent cinemas closed down. Mongolian productions had to seek partners outside of the formerCOMECON. However, some young filmmakers of the transformation period, such as N. Gankhuyag, B. Uranchimeg, and J. Binder, made successful domestic films.
The movieGenghis Khan, Under Power of the Eternal Sky, starringEnkhtaivan Agvaantseren, was the first Mongolian-Japanese co-production.State of Dogs (Nokhoin Oron, 1998) was written and directed collaboratively by the BelgianPeter Brosens and the MongolianDorjkhandyn Turmunkh.
The directorByambasuren Davaa has had international success with the German-Mongolian co-productionsThe Story of the Weeping Camel (2003, nominated for anAcademy Award as a foreign documentary in 2005) andThe 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 includeLim Negen Durlal andGoyoliin Daashinz.
The 2008 historical filmA Pearl in the Forest (Mongolian:Мойлхон) by directorEnkhtaivan Agvaantseren is one of the first films to openly talk about the events of the 1930s and the impact of the rise ofSoviet communism on Mongolia. It is also one of the first films intended to present the history of theBuryats, one of the ethnic groups present in Mongolia.
