Улаанбаатар
MCC awards the winners of the Mongolian 'Water Stories' film competition
Art & Culture
Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/.
On October 8, the Mongolian Film Institute and the U.S. government’s Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) announced the winners of the 'Water Stories' film
competition, which focused on the importance of water for Ulaanbaatar.
The
U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Gregory May emphasized the importance of
art and culture and noted that, “Just as the Mongolia Water Compact seeks to
boost the supply of high-quality water, so the Water Stories film competition
seeks to boost the supply of high-quality filmmakers of all ages.”
Mr.
May presented awards to three filmmakers, including the grand prize for Ch.
Khulan for her 'Precious Gem' short film, which competition panelists described
as “a creative combination of current water issues, mythology, live-action, and
animation.”
B.
Sanjaabaldan received a special mention for his short film 'Water,' which the
panelists appreciated that his plea for changing water consumption habits was
conveyed in a manner that was as “clear as water.”
Finally,
M. Mandukhai received an award in the young filmmaker’s category for her short
film 'Coupon' which is a creative use of limited resources to address the
inequality of water use among apartment and ger area residents.
The
competition was organized in conjunction with the Mongolia Water Compact, which
is funded by MCC. The Compact will build the critical infrastructure necessary
to sustain Ulaanbaatar’s water supply and will positively impact more than 55
percent of Mongolia’s population.
“In
less than three decades, the population of Ulaanbaatar has nearly tripled in
size,” explained Sodontogos Erdenetsogt, CEO of the Millennium Challenge
Account, Mongolia, “however, the water supply has remained the same, creating
the conditions for a severe water shortage.”
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an
international development agency of the U.S. Government, working to reduce
global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides
time-limited grants and assistance to countries that meet rigorous standards
for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights.
Source: U.S. Embassy Mongolia
