Ulaanbaatar, October 19, 2023 /MONTSAME/. The 15th Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (UBIFF) is taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on October 16-22, 2023. The Festival is organized by the Department of Art and Culture in cooperation with the Mongolian Arts Council (AMC), the Mongolian National Film Council (MCC), and with the support of the Swiss Development Agency. This year, 22 films from 20 countries are being presented to the audience.

The Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (UBIFF) has been held annually since 2013 to introduce Mongolian audiences to world-class A-list films, arthouse, and independent films, and to develop the Mongolian film industry. Also, the Governor's Office of Ulaanbaatar City, the Department of Art and Culture of Ulaanbaatar City, and AMC of Mongolia jointly organized the Mongolian film competition Khangarid National Award Ceremony of the UBIFF, which was held in the Corporate Hotel and Convention Center on October 16, 2023.

The Festival opened with Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir‘s indie drama “City of Wind”, where newcomer Tergel Bold-Erdene won the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor at the 80th Venice International Film Festival for his role as a teenage shaman in the film.

With the Mongolian National Film Council becoming one of the main organizers starting this year, the Mongolian Film Competition has substantially expanded, resulting in the UBIFF presenting awards in 11 nominations, compared to last year's four nominations.

· Best Composition – Debut feature “If Only I Could Hibernate” by P. Zoljargal

· Best Script – Feature film "Shar Gerel" [Dawn] by Sh. Gurbazar and B. Batdelger

· Best Lead Actor - Feature film "Swamp" by Sh. Dorjsuren,

· Best Lead Actress - Feature film "Khunii Eej" [Mother] by A. Ganchimeg,

· Best Supporting Actor - Feature film "Mother" by P. Delgerbayar,

· Best Supporting Actress - Feature film "Dawn" by L. Jijjalam,

· Best Cameraman - Feature film "Dawn" by D. Davaanyam,

· Best Cinematographer - Feature film “Dawn” by Ts. Khurelbaatar,

· Best Collage - Debut feature “If Only I Could Hibernate” by Alexandra Strauss,

· Best Music - Feature film “Dawn” by B. Sanchir,

· Best Sound Editing - Feature film 'Lost Days" by O. Tsegmed,

· Best Face Changer - Feature film 'Naimaa" by E. Oyun-Erdene.

The 15th edition of UBIFF presents award-winning films from A-list festivals around the world – there are ten films in the International Film Section. In addition to screenings, UBIFF organizes film forums, trainings, and workshops to strengthen the filmmakers’ capacity.

In 2023, Switzerland is the focus country of the Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (UBIFF), which is screening three outstanding works by Swiss filmmakers. UBIFF has a close partnership with the Locarno Festival in Switzerland, one of the most prestigious international film festivals.