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Mongolian art and culture. Mongolian films.

INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS

MONGOLIA ARTS AND CULTURE

MONGOLIAN FILMS

Cinema, the miracle of the 20th century, came to Mongolia in the 1910s. First movies were shown in the capital city, at the American Consulate and Russian Stock Exchange's hotel. In 1913 the Mongolian prince Namnansuren is known to have brought some films from Russia to show at the residence of the Bogd Khan. After the revolution of 1921, films and film equipment were purchased and film students trained in Russia.
Thus Mongolian people acquired access to cinema. At that time, cinema in Mongolia was called "Shadow show,", and it was free of charge until the first cinema theatre "Ard" was built in the 1930s. In 1935, under the decision of the Council of Ministers, a movie production company "Mongol kino" was set up with Soviet assistance.

The first production of the company was a documentary "74th Celebration of the 1st of May." In 1936, the first feature movie was created with the technical assistance of the Soviet "Lenfilm".
Mongolia's first movie directors, cameramen, editors and other personnel were trained on the job by professionals from the Soviet Union.

In 1938 Mongolians independently made "Norjmaa's Way" and then "Wolves" in 1939. Movies directed by the famous Mongolian film director D.Jigjid, such as "Tsogt taij" (1945), "People's messenger" (1959), "Flood," "Son-in-law," and others have became classics of Mongolian cinema.

Film directors of a younger generation, such as H.Damdin, Ts.Navaan, Ch.Gombo, B.Baljinnyam, B.Sumhuu, and O.Urtnasan have made their unique contribution to further development of Mongolian cinema.

The 1990s have become a dynamic period in the history of Mongolian cinema. Around twenty private film studios emerged between 1992 and 1997 and have produced more than one hundred feature films. Foreign relations with film companies have expanded as well.

Joint productions of both documentary and feature films with French, Japanese, Chinese and Mongolian film producers have successfully participated in various international film festivals.