IF ONLY I COULD HIBERNATE

A poor but prideful teenager, Ulzii, lives in the yurt area of Ulaanbaatar with his family. He is a physics genius and is determined to win a science competition to earn a scholarship. When his mother finds a job in the countryside, she leaves him and his younger siblings to face a harsh winter by themselves. Ulzii will have to take a risky job to look after them all and keep his home heated. Premiering in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, this first feature from Mongolia is a drama which is rooted in the political but is never heavy-handed. The cast, particularly charismatic newcomer Batsooj Uurtsaikh as Ulzii, approach this subject with a gentle touch. The result is an assured feature debut from Mongolian filmmaker Zoljargal Puevdash, who sees these personal experiences become a microcosm of the tensions felt throughout this developing country, where traditions are being abandoned in the march for progress.