Veins Of the World (2020)

The director of much-loved world cinema classics The Story of the Weeping Camel and The Cave of the Yellow Dog transports us once again to the spectacular beauty of the Mongolian steppe, this time looking at the encroachment of modernity and its effect on nomadic lifestyles that have changed little in hundreds of years. Following the sudden death of the leader of a campaign against mining companies who are destroying the habitat on which they depend, his eleven-year-old son steps up to carry on his David vs Goliath fight, an old Mongolian folk tale being both his inspiration and his secret weapon.

Director Byambasuren Davaa was diverted from her original scenario for her fourth feature when she witnessed first-hand the impact that mining operations were having on long-established Mongolian communities. She immediately switched her attention to exposing this existential threat. While Veins of the World shows us the majestic grandeur of the Mongolian landscape, the cinematography also reminds us that the way of life dependent upon the preservation of this same land is in a very precarious position.

“shares with those films an intimate authenticity when it comes to depicting the lives of Mongolian nomadic herders. More than an ethnographic curiosity, the film, in its understated way, is an environmental cri de coeur” – Wendy Ide, Screen International

“Although all cast members do a fantastic job, Bat-Ireedui Batmunkh as Amra deserves special credit as he manages the balance between innocence, drama and becoming an adult.” - Rouven Linnarz, Asian Movie Pulse.

YourScreen audience comments:

“I like very much Veins of the World, something very moving, eye-opener and relevant too!”

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