| Batzul
Khayankhyarvaa, Tsetsegee Byamba, Damchaa Banzar, Tserendarizav
Dashnyam .
Belgian documentarian Peter Brosens
and American director Jessica Woodworth collaborated on this unusual
story of a simple man who learns that the fates have something special
planned for him. Bagi (Batzul Khayankhyarvaa) lives in modern-day
Mongolia, but his existence is little different than that of his
forefathers; he raises cattle and sheep on the rugged plains, lives
in a yurt, and shares his humble home with his mother (Dugursuren
Dagvador) and grandfather (Damchaa Banzar). Bagi is given to severe
epileptic seizures, and when one of them causes him to pass out
and he doesn't awake, his family calls on a shaman (Tserendarizav
Dashnyam), who is able to reach him in the dream world and bring
him back to life. However, during her journey, the shaman discovers
that Bagi has untapped mystical powers, and that it's his destiny
to become a shaman himself. As Bagi and his family decide what to
make of this, a fleet of Army vehicles arrives, with officials informing
them that, due to widespread livestock disease, they must confiscate
their animals and relocate Bagi and his relatives to the city. As
Bagi makes his way to his new life, he encounters Zolzaya (Tsetsegee
Byamba), a lovely dancer who supports herself by stealing coal,
and with her help he discovers his true path in life. Khadak received
its North American premiere at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. |