Die Adern der Welt

Veins of the World
“The mountain spirit exists. If you believe in him with all your heart, he’ll give you all kinds of power.”

Eleven-year-old Amra is a child of the Mongolian steppe, where he lives in a traditional nomad community. His father drives him to school in the morning, and in the evening the boy helps to round up the family’s sheep and goats. Amra watches YouTube clips with his friends and dreams of making an appearance on Mongolia’s Got Talent. At home, the grown-ups convene to discuss the group’s future. Global mining companies and their hunger for gold represent an imminent threat to the herders’ way of life. When his father falls victim to a fatal accident, the challenges of harsh reality force Amra to abandon his childhood fantasies. Summoning all the strength he can muster and pushing beyond his limits, the boy sets out to honour his father’s legacy.
by Byambasuren Davaa
with Bat-Ireedui Batmunkh, Purevdorj Uranchimeg, Algirchamin Baatarsuren, Enerel Tumen, Yalalt Namsrai
Germany / Mongolia 2020 Mongolian 96’ Colour World premiere Rating R0

With

  • Bat-Ireedui Batmunkh (Amra)
  • Purevdorj Uranchimeg (Bataa)
  • Algirchamin Baatarsuren (Altaa)
  • Enerel Tumen (Zaya)
  • Yalalt Namsrai (Erdene)

Crew

Written and Directed by Byambasuren Davaa
Cinematography Talal Khoury
Editing Anne Jünemann
Music Jan Miserre, John Gürtler
Sound Design Sebastian Tesch
Sound Paul Oberle
Production Design Batjargal Navaandamba
Costumes Tumenkhuu Tsagaanzagas
Make-Up Uranzul Lkhashidnyam, Lkhagvajav Enkh-Amar
Assistant Director Jiska Rickels
Casting Battsetseg Dugarjav
Production Manager Tilman Kolb
Producers Eva Kemme, Ansgar Frerich, Tobias Siebert
Co-Producers Nomin Chinbat, Bat-Erdene Gankhuyag
Co-Production Mongol TV Ulan-Bator
rbb/Arte Berlin

Produced by

Byambasuren Davaa

Born in Mongolia in 1971, she first studied international law in Ulaanbaatar and worked as a presenter for Mongolian state television. After completing a degree in film directing, she went to the University of Television and Film in Munich in 2000. Her documentary film The Story of the Weeping Camel, co-directed with Luigi Falorni, sold in over 60 countries and was nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar. Her graduation film, The Cave of the Yellow Dog, also successfully screened at international festivals.

Filmography

2003 Die Geschichte vom weinenden Kamel (The Story of the Weeping Camel); documentary; co-director: Luigi Falorni 2005 Die Höhle des gelben Hundes (The Cave of the Yellow Dog); documentary 2008 Das Lied von den zwei Pferden (The Song of the Two Horses); documentary 2020 Die Adern der Welt (Veins of the World)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020