Ulaanbaatar
‘The Wolves Always Come at Night’ Chronicles Mongolian Nomadic Life, Nominated for 2026 Academy Awards
Art & Culture
Ulaanbaatar, October 10, 2025 /MONTSAME/. The Mongolian-themed documentary "The Wolves Always Come at Night," representing the Commonwealth of Australia, has been officially nominated for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
Directed by Australian filmmaker Gabrielle Brady, the film was selected from among 16 submissions made by Australia this year. It portrays the lives of modern nomadic Mongolians, capturing their struggles and resilience through intimate, real-life stories. It premiered at the 2024 Ulaanbaatar Film Festival.
Produced over five years, the film is a collaborative effort between Australia’s “Over Here”, Germany’s “Chromosom” Films, and Mongolia’s “Guru Media”. Shot entirely in Mongolia, the production involved creative and technical contributions from Mongolia, Australia, Germany, the United States, Colombia, and the United Kingdom.
The documentary "The Wolf Comes at
Night" follows a Mongolian herding family forced to migrate to the city after a
devastating sandstorm. The film features real-life couple Davaasuren Dagvasuren
and his wife Otgonzaya Dashzeveg, residents of Buutsagaan soum in Bayankhongor
aimag, as they confront the heartbreaking impact of climate change and urban
migration on their traditional nomadic way of life.
It has achieved acclaim on the global stage:
- Premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
(TIFF)
- Winner of the Grand Prix at the Alpin
International Film Festival (AIFF) in Romania
- Regular participant in prestigious events such as the Sydney
Film Festival (SFF) and the EU-Asia Documentary Film Festival (EADFF)
in Hong Kong
- Most recently awarded Best Documentary at the 12th Silk Road International Film Festival in Fuzhou, China
