Paris-based Urban Sales has secured multiple deals on Zoljargal Purevdash’s feature debute If Only I Could Hibernate, following the film’s world premiere earlier this year in Un Certain Regard at Cannes.
The film has sold for theatrical release to UK-Ireland (Conic), Switzerland, Germany and Austria (First Hand Films), Italy (Trent Film) and Taiwan (Andrews Film). Eurozoom will handle the French release of the film.
If Only I Could Hibernate became the first Mongolian film ever to be shown in Cannes’ official selection, when it launched in Un Certain Regard. It has gone on to festival screenings at Karlovy Vary and Jerusalem, winning a special mention at the latter; and has further bookings lined up for the autumn including El Gouna in Egypt.
The film follows a 15-year-old from a poor Ulaanbaatar neighbourhood, who must look after his younger siblings in the face of a harsh winter, while also trying to win a physics competition to earn a scholarship.
The film is a co-production between Purevdash’s Mongolian company Amygdala Films, and Paris-based Urban Factory.
It was developed through the Berlinale’s 2017 Talents Tokyo programme, then through TorinoFilmLab, Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum and Locarno Film Festival’s Open Doors.
It was then shot with a fully Mongolian cast and crew, including many non-professional actors.
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