If Only I Could Hibernate
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = If Only I Could Hibernate
| image = If Only I Could Hibernate.jpg
| alt = Three children playing in a road covered in snow
| caption = Promotional release poster
| director = Zoljargal Purevdash
| producer = Zoljargal Purevdash
Frederic Corvez
Maeva Savinien
| writer = Zoljargal Purevdash
| starring = {{plainlist|
- Battsooj Uurtsaikh
- Nominjiguur Tsend
- Tuguldur Batsaikhan
}}
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing =
| distributor = Urban Factory
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2023|05|21|Cannes}}
| runtime = 96 minutes
| country = Mongolia
France
Switzerland
Qatar
| language = Mongolian
}}
If Only I Could Hibernate ({{langx|mn|Баавгай болохсон|Baavgai Bolohson|Wish I could turn into a bear}}) is 2023 drama film written and directed by Zoljargal Purevdash.
It was the first Mongolian film to play in the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival, where it competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2023 edition. The film was selected as the Mongolian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2024 |title="Баавгай болохсон" кино Оскарыг зорихоор боллоо |url=https://news.mn/r/2753938/ |access-date=September 29, 2024 |website=news.mn}}
Plot
Ulzii (Battsooj Uurtsaikh) is a teenager living with his family in a yurt on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. His father is dead and his mother resorts to drinking alcohol instead of finding a job, meaning that there is often not enough coal to heat the home in the cold of winter. Ulzii feels responsible for his three younger siblings and is desperate to earn money. He sells his trainers and helps his older neighbour deliver meat caracasses. Ulzii is successful at school and a teacher (Batzorig Sukhbaatar) encourages him to take part in a physics competition; if he does well, he can win a scholarship. When his mother returns to the countryside with one sibling, Ulzii is left to look after his brother and sister Tungaa (Nominjiguur Tsend) and Erkhemee (Tuguldur Batsaikhan). He has to skip school in order to earn money by illegally logging the forest, which jeopardises his plans to enter the physics competition.
Cast
- Battsooj Uurtsaikh as Ulzii, a 9th grader and the older brother of three.
- Nominjiguur Tsend as Tungaa, the younger sister of Ulzii
- Tuguldur Batsaikhan as Erkhemee, the younger brother of Ulzii
- Ganchimeg Sandagdordorj as mother
- Batmandakh Batchuluun as Garig, the youngest of the three siblings.
- Davaasamba Sharaw as the old neighbour
- Batzorig Sukhbaatar as the physics teacher
Production
If Only I Could Hibernate was written and directed by Zoljargal Purevdash with the Mongolian actor Battsooj Uurtsaikh as the lead actor in the role of Ulzii.{{cite web | url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/urban-sales-boards-un-certain-regard-mongolian-title-if-only-i-could-hibernate-exclusive/5181050.article| title=Urban Sales boards Un Certain Regard Mongolian title 'If Only I Could Hibernate' (Exclusive) | work=ScreenDaily | access-date=25 May 2023 | archive-date=14 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414124502/https://www.screendaily.com/news/urban-sales-boards-un-certain-regard-mongolian-title-if-only-i-could-hibernate-exclusive/5181050.article#:~:text=If%20Only%20I%20Could%20Hibernate%20is%20the%20first%20Mongolian%20film,Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric%20Corvez%20and%20Maeva%20Savinien | url-status=live }} It is Purevdash's first feature film; she herself grew up in the yurt district of Ulaanbaatar.
In 2023, If Only I Could Hibernate was the first Mongolian film to play in Official Selection at Cannes Film Festival, at the Un Certain Regard section. It is a co-production between Zoljargal Purevdash's Mongolian production house Amygdala Films and Paris-based Urban Factory, headed by producers Frédéric Corvez and Maeva Savinien.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/if-i-could-only-hibernate-cannes-mongolia-1235621331/|title=' If Only I Could Hibernate' Makes History at Cannes as Mongolian Film Biz Increases Its Reach|first=Marta|last=Bałaga|date=22 May 2023|work=Variety|access-date=25 May 2023|archive-date=25 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525112940/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/if-i-could-only-hibernate-cannes-mongolia-1235621331/|url-status=live}}
Release
If Only I Could Hibernate had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2023, in the Un Certain Regard section{{cite web | url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/if-only-i-could-hibernate | title=If Only I Could Hibernate | date=21 May 2023 | website=festival-cannes.com | access-date=26 May 2023 | archive-date=25 May 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525181117/https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/if-only-i-could-hibernate/ | url-status=live }} and was also screened at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in the 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section in October 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.biff.kr/eng/html/program/prog_all_list.asp?allYear=2023|title=The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List|website=Busan International Film Festival|date=September 5, 2023|access-date=September 9, 2023|language=en|archive-date=15 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915141852/https://www.biff.kr/eng/html/program/prog_all_list.asp?allYear=2023|url-status=dead}} It was released in UK and Irish cinemas on 19 April 2024, and the US release date is to be announced.{{Cite web |last=Croke |first=Hayley |date=2024-04-15 |title=If Only I Could Hibernate Film Review |url=https://loudandclearreviews.com/if-only-i-could-hibernate-review/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=Loud And Clear Reviews |language=en-US |archive-date=16 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240416192417/https://loudandclearreviews.com/if-only-i-could-hibernate-review/ |url-status=live }}
Reception
=Critical response=
Reviewing the film at Cannes, Screen Daily said it was an "assured feature debut" by Purevdash and praised the "charismatic newcomer" Uurtsaikh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/if-only-i-could-hibernate-cannes-review/5181603.article|title=' If Only I Could Hibernate': Cannes Review|first=Nikki|last=Baughan|date=21 May 2023|website=ScreenDaily|access-date=25 May 2023|archive-date=22 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522014158/https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/if-only-i-could-hibernate-cannes-review/5181603.article|url-status=live}} Sight and Sound called it "a beautifully crafted Mongolian drama".{{cite news |last1=Charity |first1=Tom |title=If Only I Could Hibernate review: the yurt locker |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/if-only-i-could-hibernate-beautifully-crafted-mongolian-drama |access-date=26 April 2024 |work=Sight and Sound |publisher=BFI |language=en |archive-date=15 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240415203838/https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/if-only-i-could-hibernate-beautifully-crafted-mongolian-drama |url-status=live }}
=Accolades=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Date of ceremony ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Recipient(s) ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Ref heading}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | Cannes Film Festival
| rowspan="2" | Zoljargal Purevdash | {{nom}} |
| scope="row" | Tokyo FILMeX
| 26 November 2023 | Special Jury Prize (Shared with Critical Zone) | {{won}} |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=21605226}}
- [https://www.conic.film/films/hibernate If Only I Could Hibernate Official Site]
- [https://www.facebook.com/IfOnlyICouldHibernate/videos/145818371728138 Film trailer]
{{Authority control}}
{{Mongolian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film}}
Category:2023 directorial debut films
Category:Mongolian drama films
Category:Mongolian-language films