by Khushi Jain
Winters have the propensity to crawl inside the skin and seep into the bones. And when there is no source of warmth, we can go as far as burning our own hands to get through the cold. Or perhaps, we hope that we could hibernate, like the beasts of the animal world. Zoljargal Puevdash's “If Only I Could Hibernate” is a wish and a promise that a young boy, Ulzii, excellently portrayed by the newcomer Batsooj Uurtsaikh, makes to his family, and more importantly to himself, that they are more than their circumstance. This debut premiered in Un Certain Regard at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and made history as the first Mongolian film to play in the official selection. It is a gentle but resilient coming of age in the biting winters of the Mongolian capital.
If Only I could Hibernate is screening at Cannes
Ulzii's father immigrated with his family from the countryside to Ulaanbaatar in search of better opportunities, but his untimely death left Ulzii with his widowed alcoholic mother and three siblings alone in the icy city. Living together in a homely but perpetually cold yurt, the family is barely managing to get by. They rely on stealing wood to keep the hearth burning and a full meal is a luxury. A physics prodigy, Ulzii soon discovers that a better school and then a better college might help him escape the confines of poverty. When his mother decides to move back to the countryside, he fights to stay behind with two of his siblings for the chance that a national level physics competition might turn things around. Even more alone than before, Ulzii has a very hard winter ahead of him.
Puevdash's direction does not invite pity but inspires strength. The siblings exhibit unyielding perseverance, never giving up. The bleakness of their situation is repeatedly cut by their tenacity and love. They share a single cup of noodles, play a game of cards, and laugh at each other's farts, finding small joys and sticking together. Puevdash shows off how skilled she is at blocking in the ways that she captures these three siblings on the camera. There is nothing radically original about her story but it has a unique rhythmic pace to it; there is never a dull moment.
Ulaanbaatar is a city cloaked in fog and choking on pollution. The snow is not white but a dirty grey. Cinematographer Davaanyam Delgerjargal balances between intense close-ups of Ulzii and stunning wider shots of the landscapes he inhabits. The yurt struggling to keep warm is swathed in warm tones of reds, browns and yellows. Ariantugs Tserenpil somehow manages to create a welcoming, innocent and playful ecosystem in a space of extreme stress, frequent familial contention and of course, literally sickening cold. Perfectly wrapping up the film's mise en scène is its incredible soundtrack. Composed by Johanni Curtet, it combines beatboxing and lullabies with traditional Mongolian music. It almost seems to be borrowing its rhythm from Puevdash's pacing.
Also check the interview with the director
A technical masterpiece, the brilliance of “If Only I Could Hibernate” is distilled in none other than its protagonist, Ulzii. Always facing a dearth of coal and wood, Ulzii is perpetually making a choice between his studies and familial problems. He has developed a credo of self sufficiency for himself and cannot bring himself to ask for help. While his determination is his strength, his stubbornness is his Achilles' Heel. The film is Ulzii's personal bildungsroman and Uurtsaikh is a powerhouse of subtlety. His eyes are particularly loquacious and his gaze is penetrating; he is remarkable throughout. Ulzii is a demanding role, even more so for a debuting actor, and Uurstaikh's performance is absolutely flawless.
The film's narrative is very personal but Puevdash very consciously places it in the larger context of Mongolia; the brief unassuming shot of the protest is one way of doing this. The ending is perfectly timed and even more perfectly executed. This is a story with heart and bound to fill you with the warmth you need to thaw through its harsh cold. “If Only I Could Hibernate” is a great and memorable film, and Puevdash has set high standards for herself with this debut.
