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Schwarze Milch

Black Milk
Panorama 2020
© Sven Zellner/Zellner & Borchu Film
After years of living in Germany, Wessi visits her sister Ossi in their common homeland of Mongolia. Ossi’s yurt may be small, but she nonetheless invites all the neighbours to welcome her long-lost sister and eat, drink and celebrate. “Don't pretend you’ve forgotten our rituals”, is how the modern young woman is admonished. But in fact, Wessi remembers them all too well, especially the role that milk plays in the lives of these nomads. Wessi soon starts feeling a unique erotic connection with Terbish, a mysterious older man living a traditional existence on the steppes. But can she even entertain the thought of following her feelings in the old-fashioned world of the steppe?
Uisenma Borchu’s second semi-autobiographical film after Schau mich nicht so an (Don’t Look at Me That Way) features a young woman searching for her roots. In doing so, she discovers an idiosyncratic, radical sensuality that not only transgresses Mongolian conventions, but also those of the supposedly more liberal West.
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by Uisenma Borchu
with Gunsmaa Tsogzol, Uisenma Borchu, Terbish Demberel, Franz Rogowski, Borchu Bawaa, Bud-Ochir Tegshee, Bayarsaikhan Renchinjugder Germany / Mongolia 2020 Mongolian, German 91’ Colour World premiere Rating R12

With

  • Gunsmaa Tsogzol (Ossi)
  • Uisenma Borchu (Wessi)
  • Terbish Demberel (Terbish)
  • Franz Rogowski (Franz)
  • Borchu Bawaa (Stepfather)
  • Bud-Ochir Tegshee (Ossis Husband)
  • Bayarsaikhan Renchinjugder (Intruder)

Crew

Written and Directed by Uisenma Borchu
Cinematography Sven Zellner
Editing Uisenma Borchu, Christine Schorr
Music Daniel Murena
Sound Design Benedikt Hoenes
Sound Udo Steinhauser
Production Design Borchu Bawaa
Costumes Tschagsalmaa Borchuu
Production Manager Chingunjav Borkhuu, Anna Katharina Brehm
Producer Sven Zellner
Co-Producer Thomas Burnhauser

World Sales

Nine Film

Produced by

Sven Zellner und Uisenma Borchu Film

Photos

Berlinale Meets | Interview

Uisenma Borchu

© Uisenma Borchu

Born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 1984, she moved with her family to East Germany in 1988. She studied French and history in Mainz and then documentary at the HFF Munich. Her graduation film, Schau mich nicht so an, won the 2015 Bavarian Film Award for Best Direction - Young Film, the FIPRESCI Award at the Munich Film Festival and the International New Talent Competition Grand Prize at the Taipei Film Festival. She also wrote and directed the play “Nachts als die Sonne schien” for the Münchner Kammerspiele. Schwarze Milch is her second feature film.

Filmography

2007 Donne-moi plus; documentary, short film 2011 Himmel voller Geigen; documentary 2015 Schau mich nicht so an (Don't Look at Me That Way) 2020 Schwarze Milch (Black Milk); Panorama

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020