- A first for Mongolia, “If Only I Could Hibernate” is selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard
- The movie focuses on the harsh realities of poverty in Mongolia
- This film marks Purevdash’s directorial debut
The movie “If Only I Could Hibernate” is a significant achievement for Mongolian cinema, as it is the first-ever film from Mongolia to be featured in the official selection at Cannes. It was produced by Amygdala Films, a Mongolian production house owned by Purevdash, in partnership with Urban Factory, a Paris-based production company led by Frédéric Corvez and Maeva Savinien.
The movie takes place in Ulaanbaatar and centres around a 15-year-old boy from an impoverished area who aims to win a science contest in hopes of securing a scholarship. However, his mother, who cannot read or write, lands a job in the countryside and leaves him and his younger siblings behind to face a brutal winter by themselves. To provide for his family, he must find work.
Purevdash on her film: “We don’t breathe air pollution. We breathe poverty. Facing and accepting this bitter reality is the primary step to reaching the solution. Through the survival story of a teenage boy, through his pure hope for a better future, I am suggesting the solution, an equal chance to get a good education for every kid.”
