19/02/2026 - The initiative has brought together directors and producers seeking international co-production partners, funding and creative collaborations

l-r: Tamir Batbold, Tobias Pausinger, Nikola Joetze, Nomintuya Baasankhuu, Mandakh Gantugs and Zolbayar Dorjsembee at the FilmNomad × Berlinale Talents Brunch & Pitch Session

At the FilmNomad × Berlinale Talents Brunch & Pitch Session, held as part of the Berlinale Talents programme at the 76th Berlinale, three Mongolian projects were presented to an international audience of emerging filmmakers and industry professionals, marking a significant step forward for Mongolia’s growing presence on the global film scene.

The initiative, spearheaded by FilmNomad, brought together directors and producers seeking international co-production partners, funding and creative collaborations. The session highlighted the evolution of FilmNomad from a training programme into a fully fledged development lab with global ambitions.

Nomintuya Baasankhuu, director of FilmNomad, explained that the 2024-25 edition marked a turning point. Through an official partnership with the Sundance Institute and its Co//ab platform, participants benefited from three online courses before entering an intensive development phase.

“FilmNomad is now functioning more as a lab,” Baasankhuu noted. “We select projects and work on intensive development, and our final stop remains the pitch in the train to Gobi desert that will be organised in July. But this year is different because, for the first time, we are partnering with Berlinale Talents and bringing our three best projects to pitch in front of 200 selected talents from around the world.”

The collaboration not only increased visibility but also connected Mongolian filmmakers with international decision-makers during the Berlin International Film Festival.

Director Tamir Batbold presented his first feature, Jinji’s Birthday, a romantic drama currently in development. Acting as both writer and director, he is seeking international partnerships to move the project forward. “I’m here to find a co-producer to help me navigate festivals, post-production and distribution deals,” he said. The film has an estimated budget of $250,000, and Batbold is also looking for a Mongolian production company to consolidate the project’s structure at home. His participation reflects a broader need among emerging Mongolian filmmakers: access not only to funding, but also to strategic guidance through the international festival and market ecosystem.

Producer Mandakh Gantugs pitched In the Mirage of Yellow Dune, the third feature by Jamiyansuren Janchivdorj. The film explores “the pain of human loneliness and our desperate need for each other”, tackling what Gantugs described as a modern paradox: “We are more connected than ever, yet loneliness is an epidemic.” The project already has a completed script and has secured 30% of its budget from local sources. The team is now seeking €300,000 in additional financing and an international co-producer who can bring both funding and experienced crew members. “We are looking for a co-producer who can work with us and bring international film crew,” Gantugs explained, underlining the ambition to raise the project’s production value through cross-border collaboration.

Animation was represented by director Zolbayar Dorjsembee, who introduced Tsaskhan, conceived as Mongolia’s first animated feature of its scale. Developed within his Ulaanbaatar-based studio, the 2D project centres on children’s imagination and hope, following two girls selling books in the capital. “We are looking for co-producers and co-production studios in Europe,” Dorjsembee said, citing France and Japan as potential partners. While some local funding has been secured and a 20-minute short version is in development, Mongolia’s animation sector remains limited in terms of workforce and technical capacity.

According to Baasankhuu, the growing international presence of Mongolian films is closely tied to the work of the Mongolian National Film Council, which has increased its visibility at major festivals and markets. “Mongolian films are starting to get recognised,” she said. “It’s a new region, new stories – and that’s interesting for international players.”

Asked about their most pressing needs, the filmmakers were unanimous. “All three,” Batbold replied, referring to training, local funding and international co-production opportunities. For Mongolian cinema’s new generation, initiatives such as the FilmNomad × Berlinale Talents Brunch & Pitch Session represent not only exposure, but a crucial bridge towards sustainable international collaboration.