The Film Verdict: So how does it feel to have the first ever Mongolian film in the Official Selection at Cannes?
Zoljargal Purevdash: Very unbelievable. I still can’t quite believe it. It’s like a dream. People in Mongolia have been very supportive, they see it as an encouragement for the local film industry. They’re looking forward to what happens next with the movie, and they want to see it as soon as possible. They’ve been asking for a trailer, and I have to tell them it’s not ready yet. And I’m very excited because I’ve never really been to a festival premiere before for any of my films, as most of my shorts came out during the pandemic.
TFV: This is your feature debut, after a few shorts that also deal with the topic of family. What made you decide this was the right story to tell in a longer format?
ZP: The truth is, when I wrote the script for If Only I Could Hibernate, I had no idea you usually do shorts first, and hadn’t done any besides one I shot at university. I made those afterwards, when I realized I needed more experience, so there was never any version of this particular story that existed in a shorter format.
TFV: You studied film abroad, before returning to Mongolia. What is it that inspires you cinematically when it comes to your country, and your city?
ZP: I went to film school in Japan, from 2008 and 2012, and even back then every script I wrote was set in Mongolia. I always felt a distance to Japan, and never even tried to get a job there. I respond to stories set in Mongolia because I know it very well.
TFV: The film received support from various international institutions. Did they all come onboard immediately?
ZP: No. I applied for Berlinale Talents five times, and twice for Talents Tokyo, which was the first lab to accept my project. That’s where it all began, because I hadn’t really shown the script to many people in Mongolia, so there I was pitching my work and winning an award for it. That convinced me it was a story worth telling, and it’s also where I first met my French producer, in 2017. And the labs helped me learn new things, like budgeting and funding strategies.
TFV: The film relies heavily on child actors. How did you find them?
ZP: We did the casting in the actual area where the story takes place, because I needed people who were used to walking around in freezing temperatures, approximately -35 Celsius. They all responded to the material, and while they generally stuck to the script, they were not afraid to voice their opinions if they wanted to put their own spin on the lines.
TFV: Assuming you’ll have the time to watch other films in Cannes, what are you most looking forward to?
ZP: [Singaporean director] Anthony Chen’s new film, which is also playing in Un Certain Regard. He once came to Mongolia for a masterclass, and I really love his work. But I hope to be able to watch as many films as possible while I’m in Cannes.
