APM - Asian Project Market

2023 Project

Logline

In a small, mining town, bordering Mongolia and China, Sayna, a skilled Mongolian horseman, tends his family ranch while working as a background performer in a horse show at the local tourist spot. But, contrary to the majestic Mongolian cavalryman he portrays at night for the tourists, Sayna finds his real life as a herder on the verge of disintegration.

Synopsis

On the vast steppes bordering China and Mongolia, Sayna, a skilled, 32-year-old, Mongolian horseman, tends his family ranch during the day and performs daring feats on horseback at a local horse show at night. In contrast to the majestic, Mongolian cavalryman he portrays at night for the tourists, Sayna finds his real life as a herder under increasing threat.
The implementation of a local grazing ban has caused immense hardship for the herders, forcing them to sell their livestock and abandon their traditional way of life on the steppes. Many herders have resorted to selling their horses to slaughterhouses. Adding to Sayna′s challenges, his alcoholic father recently sold half of their flock of sheep to settle his debts, and his young son from a previous marriage needs money for his education at a Mandarin school.
As Sayna confronts the impending loss of his livelihood and searches for a way to secure his future, and that of his horses, he discovers the combined impact of the grazing ban and local mining activities forcing him towards irreversible exile from his cherished land.

Director's Statement

Last year, my friend Sayna, a herder in Inner Mongolia, sold his flock of sheep because of a local grazing ban and started to seek other jobs to plug that financial gap. For months he performed tricks on horseback at a local horse show, where he played a Mongolian cavalryman.
Through this film, I aim to explore the power dynamics between spectators and spectacles, particularly in the mainstream media′s obsession with spectacle as seen in tourism, social media, and other contemporary cultural phenomena. I want to contrast this fetishization with the marginalized existence of Mongolian herders caught between the cultural border of Mongolian and Han Chinese communities, the conflict between pastoralism and industrialization, and the gap between traditional and pop culture.

Producer's Statement

The film To Kill a Mongolian Horse is an independent arthouse film that focuses on marginalized characters living on the borders of China and Mongolia. With its low budget and minimalist aesthetic, the film features non-professional actors portraying themselves.
The film′s development and production budget is approximately USD 321,156, with an additional USD 141,478 allocated for marketing and distribution. The shooting period is estimated to be one month in Inner Mongolia, China. The project has been selected for the Sundance Ignite Fellowship 2023 and Asian Cinema Fund 2023. We have also secured acclaimed Malaysian director Tan Chui Mui as our executive producer.

Director's Profile

Producer's Profile