City of Wind

In director Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir’s delightfully offbeat debut, we find a most unlikely protagonist in Ze, a 17-year-old shaman who’s as clumsy at adulting as he is at channeling spirits. While Ze and his snarky sister keep the family business of folk healing alive, the boy can’t help but dream of the bright lights and big city vibes of Ulaanbaatar. But when Ze meets Marala, a spunky skeptic who becomes the unwitting object of his affections, everything changes. Suddenly, Ze finds himself on a journey of self-discovery, stumbling through the minefield of young love and cultural identity with all the grace of a drunken yak. Purev-Ochir weaves a tapestry of bittersweet moments and quiet revelations, capturing the simple magic of finding one’s path in a world that’s always shifting. With a touch of spiritual realism, the film finds profundity in the smallest of moments, from the haunting melody of a jaw harp in a yurt to the pulsating rhythms of a crowded dance club. It’s a stunning debut that reminds us of the universal truths that bind us all, no matter where we come from or where we’re headed. Ze’s awkward stumble toward enlightenment is a journey we can all relate to, even if we’ve never set foot in a yurt.