Mongolian film “Zogsool” wins four prizes at Busan International Film Festival

Director Sakhya Byamba’s feature “Zogsool” was the biggest winner at the 31st Busan International Film Festival’s Vision Awards. Variety reported on October 14 that the film won the NETPAC Award, the FIPRESCI Award and the Vision of Jiseok Award, and shared the Hylife Vision Award with Indian director Sailesh Rathnakumar’s “Selvi.”

World premiere in Busan

“Zogsool” competed against works by 12 Asian directors in the festival’s Vision section and had its world premiere at Busan’s Cinema Center on October 11. According to Mongolnews24.com, the screening was attended by director S. Byamba, producer Ts. Ariunaa, State Prize laureate and People’s Artist Ts. Tumurbaatar, lead actors Ch. Bulgan and D. Tsolmon, and the crew, who held a Q&A with international audiences afterwards.

The film brings together more than 50 filmmakers from Mongolia, Germany, France, Thailand and Cambodia and was co-produced by Guru Media, Germany’s Bucket GmbH, AVO Films and Nomadia Pictures. It was shot in Tsagaandelger soum, Dundgovi province. Set during the COVID-19 pandemic at the only petrol station in a remote soum, it offers a satirical portrait of contemporary Mongolian society, according to Urlag.mn and ub.life.

The director’s earlier work

Byamba won Busan’s New Currents Award in 2013 for “Remote Control,” and his film “Khevtriin Khun” was selected for Cannes’ L’Atelier programme in 2017. According to ub.life, “Zogsool” is scheduled to open in Mongolia in November 2026.

On X

ZogiiMn and other accounts shared news of the awards on Thursday morning.

Sources: Variety; Mongolnews24.com; Urlag.mn; ub.life; posts on X (metrics as of 10:22 UB, Oct. 15, 2026).