About Mongolian cinema, the efforts of the Nationwide Movie Council, “The Gross sales Lady”, the Ulaanbaatar Worldwide Movie Competition and different subjects.
Turmukh Nomuunzul acquired her Bachelor of Enterprise Administration from the Institute of Finance and Economics, Mongolia, had her Grasp in Enterprise Administration within the American Intercontinental College in London the place she can also be an Affiliate of Arts in Media Manufacturing. Presently she is working as music and movie producer, as a lot as a scriptwriter. She was the scriptwriter of “Life” and the First Assistant Director and Govt Producer of “The Sales Girl”. She can also be a Board Member of the Mongolian National Film Council.
On the event of “The Gross sales Lady” screening at FICA Vesoul, the place it gained the Cyclo D’ Or, we communicate along with her about Mongolian cinema, the efforts of the Nationwide Movie Council, “The Gross sales Lady”, the Ulaanbaatar Worldwide Movie Competition and different subjects.
How would you describe the state of Mongolian cinema in the meanwhile?
Mongolian cinema has a extremely massive historical past. However after the Nineties, it has been simply not noted. Earlier than the Nineties, there was the Mongolian Movie Manufacturing facility and that is why the federal government was supporting and producing all of the movies. After 1990, there was no funding from the federal government and so all of the filmmakers needed to go unbiased and they had been struggling to make movies by themselves. However now, it’s getting higher. As you realize, we’ve a film-supporting legislation, which was efficient from 2021. On this legislation, there’s an incentive program and a movie fund. Additionally, we simply established the Mongolian National Film Council and now we try to help all of the Mongolian filmmakers. It’s getting higher and higher. There are greater than 30 function films launched in Mongolia yearly and the trade is rising quite a bit.
So that you’re optimistic about the way forward for Mongolian cinema.
Sure. Now we’ve a movie legislation, the Nationwide movie Council and the Fund. The Council is now working actually onerous to draw international filmmakers to shoot in Mongolia and is making an attempt to make some co-productions.
Are you able to inform me a bit extra in regards to the Movie Council and what you do precisely for it?
I am a board member of the Council, and I am chargeable for the international relations division. As I discussed earlier than, we simply established the Council final yr. Thus far, we went to Cannes, Venice and Busan, and final week in Berlin and we try to introduce our legislation and incentive program and we’re additionally making an attempt to draw international filmmakers. In September 2022, the Council organized The celebrity tour, inviting some main manufacturing heads and managers reminiscent of Warner Bros, Netflix, Paramount, HBO, Discovery and so forth. Our incentive program is attracting the eye of productions.
We’ve a extremely good incentive program. In case you spend 500k in Mongolia, you’ll be able to apply for 30% of the bills to get the inducement. There may be additionally a ten% incentive, if historic parts about Mongolia are included, and for those who rent greater than 50% of the crew from Mongolia, you may get 5% again on salaries spent.
How was the response to date?
It was fairly good. We’ve acquired some taking pictures permissions for an enormous mission in Mongolia from international productions. Moreover, some co-production initiatives are within the strategy of discussions to date. This summer season the Council will manage The Fame tour inviting international movie funds in Mongolia.
Many of the Mongolian movies prior to now had been shot within the nation, within the lovely fields. However now they’re beginning to shoot within the cities additionally. Are you able to inform me a bit about this modification?
There are greater than 30 films launched in a yr and possibly 70-80% of them are shot within the metropolis and all of the story relies within the metropolis. Possibly 20 or 30% is in regards to the countryside and nomadic life for instance. However for international movie festivals and a few foreigners, the Mongolian countryside is essentially the most recognized and are extra concerned with our nomadic life or our historical past and they also make films on that topic and shoot within the countryside. Principally, that’s the reason this a part of Mongolia is extra recognized outdoors the nation. I believe it will change as extra films now are shot within the metropolis. For instance, Sengedorj Janchivdorj‘s directed movie “The Gross sales Lady” is a film in regards to the fashionable lifetime of a Mongolian teenager and it was shot one hundred pc within the metropolis.
Would you say the Mongolian cinema has moved utterly away from the Russian affect?
Sure, utterly away. Earlier than the Nineties, there was some impression from Russian as a result of the Mongolian authorities and Russian authorities had been so shut. All the flicks had been produced by authorities funds, subsequently there was some affect significantly concerning insurance policies. However these days, individuals don’t even have an concept in regards to the Russians, my daughter for instance, doesn’t communicate Russian in any respect.
I’m sorry to say this, however for me, the largest difficulty Mongolian movies have is appearing, I really feel that it seems extra like stage play appearing than cinema appearing. Is that one thing you see additionally?
Sure, precisely, I agree with you. We’ve the Nationwide College of Arts and Tradition however they do not have a program targeted on cinema appearing. We do have expertise in educating primarily based on theatrical appearing and the scriptwriting can also be targeted on theatrical writing. It has been so for a few years, that’s in all probability the rationale most Mongolian actors act in that fashion. We should always change that and I really feel all younger filmmakers these days try to make a change in that regard. Additionally, as Mongolian Nationwide Movie Council, we try to cooperate with the Ministry of Training with a purpose to embrace a program about movie appearing and movie scriptwriting in Universities, which we imagine will make a change.
Verify the evaluation of the movie
Is there a Nationwide Movie College in Mongolia?
We’ve the Nationwide College of Arts and Tradition. We do have some non-public universities that target movie, however I’d say there’s a lack of applications. The Council is making an attempt to amend that, by bringing some international professionals within the nation to begin a brand new program.
Do you have got a tough estimate of what number of screening rooms there are in Mongolia?
There are about 200 in the entire nation of which about 45 in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia has lots of provinces and every has some theaters the place somebody can display screen a film in, so counting these, it’s about a couple of lots of.
Concerning the viewers, do individuals go to the cinema and do they watch extra international or native movies?
These days, they watch extra Mongolian movies. The Council is publishing a weekly report from cinemas and the Mongolian movies have extra attendance than the international blockbusters.
However what sort of films do they need to watch?
Comedy and drama for essentially the most half.
Are there any OTT providers in Mongolia?
After all, we’ve Sky Media and Univision, and these two have streaming providers: Total, I believe there are six platforms.
And are all of them in monetary scenario you’d say?
I’d say, they’re primarily based on cell suppliers, that’s the reason for those who’re streaming films, you should use your cell knowledge. I believe they’re in fairly scenario due to that.
What sort of films do you want to observe?
I like unbiased films. My father is a movie director, Turmunkh Dorjkhand, he’s the primary Mongolian filmmaker to collaborate with a European filmmaker, in a co-production, in 1995. Earlier than that, all Mongolian collaborations had been with Russia, however this was the primary one with Europe, a Belgian-Mongolian co-production, a documentary titled “The State of Canine”. I had a extremely good affect from my father. Once I was a toddler, he recommended to me I ought to watch “Citizen Kane”, Kieslowsky, Tarkovsky and that’s the reason I preferred artwork and unbiased movies since childhood.
Is there a nationwide archive in Mongolia? As a result of there was a tribute to Mongolian cinema right here in Vesoul some years in the past
Earlier than the Nineties, all the federal government funded movies had been state archived.
Are you able to additionally point out some notable Mongolian filmmakers, whom you suppose will have an effect sooner or later?
Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir gained an award in Venice for her brief movie, “Snow in September”. She is now taking pictures her first function, and I’d say she could be very proficient. Sengedorj and his older brother Jamiyansuren. Additionally Khoroldorj, who’s making an excellent documentary movie which will likely be launched quickly, and likewise Bat-Amgalan are important younger filmmakers.
Are you able to inform me about your position in “The Gross sales Lady?”
I used to be assistant director and govt producer of “The Gross sales Lady”. Additionally I’ve labored in two films as a producer and I’ve written three scripts.
Has it screened in Mongolian cinemas?
“The Gross sales Lady” went straight to OTT in Mongolia as a result of it was the pandemic time. However “The Gross sales lady” goes to be launched in theaters in Japan from twenty eighth April 2023, though it wasn’t launched in theaters in Mongolia.
Would you say that “The Gross sales Lady” was profitable financially?
Sure, contemplating that Mongolian movies are low budgeted it’s not that troublesome to interrupt even and even make some revenue.
Are you able to additionally give me some particulars in regards to the Ulaanbaatar Worldwide Movie Competition?
Final yr was the thirteenth version of the competition, and it was run by the Mayor of town. Now the Nationwide Movie Council is co-organizing with a purpose to make it greater. We’re planning to have a world competitors part and a nationwide one. The winner of the nationwide competitors is straight shortlisted for the Oscars.