‘City of Wind’ Review: Modern and Ancient Mongolia Meet in a Striking, Poignant Youth Drama
variety.comJessica Kiang Mongolia, in the international cinematic imagination, tends to be largely defined by the rugged lyricism of its rural landscapes, peopled by grizzled nomads and eagle hunters, and of course, celebrated as the birthplace of conquering warlord Genghis Khan.
So this quiet, confident debut from Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir comes as a refreshing change of pace, acknowledging the nation’s ancient heritage but only as distant backdrop to Ulaanbaatar’s skyscrapers, shopping malls and pulsing neon nightclubs.
In the heart and on the fringes of this modern metropolis, a fragile connection sparks up between two teens — representatives of the youthful country’s expanding Gen Z demographic.
Neither as self-consciously poetic nor as vaporous as its title implies, “City of Wind” is a carefully tended flame that spreads a little circle of light and warmth in the world’s coldest capital.
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