Kharkhorum International Film Festival

Overview

The Kharkhorum International Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The 2025 edition ran June 27 to July 2, screening international and Mongolian features, documentaries, animation shorts, and special programs across venues including the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, MPM Event Hall, and Ulaanbaatar Shangri La IMAX theater. The festival is organized by the Film Bridge Development Association in collaboration with the Mongolian National Film Council.

The festival offers three competitive awards: Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Film, and the Award of the Respective Topic of the Year. Each edition revolves around a distinct theme. The inaugural 2023 edition was themed "HUMAN RIGHTS-75" in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a principle Mongolia has championed since its accession to the United Nations in 1961.

For filmmakers, Kharkhorum IFF provides a platform in Central Asia's emerging film market. The festival's "Mongolian Film Projects" program has directly qualified films for the Berlin International Film Festival. The documentary "Forty Years Carrying Salt," directed by Badralmaa B., won first place in the Mongolian Film Projects program at the 2026 Berlinale after being selected in the second stage of the Kharkhorum festival in June 2025 and receiving support from the Mongolian National Film Council's 2025 Cinema Support Fund.

The festival's mission extends beyond regional borders, aspiring to unite filmmakers globally on a Central Asian stage. It aims to showcase and elevate Mongolian film productions and filmmakers while bolstering investment in Mongolia's economy through cinema. The festival is committed to fostering international standards in filmmaking and advancing the movie business both locally and globally.

Submission Details

The festival invites feature films created within the past two years to compete for its three awards. Submissions are managed through the festival website at kharkhorum-iff.com.

2025 edition key dates:

• Festival dates: June 27 to July 2, 2025
• Typical timing: The festival was initially announced as a November event starting from 2024, but the 2025 edition was held in late June to early July

Competition categories:

1. Best Feature Film - narrative features from the past two years
2. Best Documentary Film - documentary features from the past two years
3. Award of the Respective Topic of the Year - themed award tied to each edition's focus

Eligibility requirements:

• Feature films created within the past two years
• Films should align with the festival's thematic focus for the respective year
• The festival also programs animation shorts, panel discussions, and pitching sessions

Specific submission deadlines and fees have not been publicly detailed in English-language sources. Filmmakers should check the festival website for current submission information and requirements, or contact the organizers directly through the website's contact channels.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Competition - narrative features competing for the Best Feature Film award. The 2025 program included international titles such as "Beating Hearts," "The Circle of Death," "Borgo," "Cabrini," "The Substance," "Heretic," "Exhuma," "Detective Kien: The Headless Horror," "The Boy with Pink Pants," "My Place Is Here," "The Ancestral Home," "Seaside Serendipity," "The Old Woman with the Knife," and "Little Amelie or the Character of Rain."
• Documentary Film Competition - documentary features competing for the Best Documentary Film award. The festival's documentary category celebrates outstanding achievements in nonfiction filmmaking.
• Mongolian Film Screenings - showcases of contemporary Mongolian cinema, including "Silent City Driver" (dir. Sengedorj Janchivdorj) and "Puuduu" which screened at the 2025 edition.
• Animation Shorts - competitive and non-competitive animation programs. The 2025 edition included dedicated animation short screenings.
• Topic of the Year Award - a themed award tied to each edition's focus. The 2023 edition focused on human rights; subsequent editions have continued this thematic approach.
• Pitching Session: Emerging Voices in Mongolian Cinema - a dedicated pitching day where Mongolian filmmakers present projects to international producers and audiences. The 2025 pitching session was held on June 30.
• Workshops - professional development sessions such as "How to Prepare a Strong Film Pitch" (2025 edition).
• Panel Discussions - industry forums including "Animation Development in Mongolia," "Copyright in Mongolian Cinema: Piracy Prevention and Legal Challenges," and "Commercial Film Development in Mongolia: Possibilities and Challenges."
• Mongolian Film Projects Program - a pathway for Mongolian films to qualify for international festivals. The program has directly connected Mongolian filmmakers to the Berlin International Film Festival.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Mongolian Filmmakers

Kharkhorum IFF is one of two major international film festivals in Mongolia, alongside the Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (UBIFF) held in October. The festival's Mongolian Film Projects program provides a direct pipeline to international recognition. Films selected through this program have qualified for the Berlin International Film Festival, with "Forty Years Carrying Salt" winning first place in the program at the 2026 Berlinale.

The festival's pitching session, "Emerging Voices in Mongolian Cinema," gives Mongolian filmmakers the opportunity to present projects to international producers and audiences. The 2025 edition's open pitch session was held at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, introducing Mongolian film projects to the world.

The Mongolian National Film Council's Cinema Support Fund works in conjunction with the festival to fund and promote Mongolian productions. Filmmakers whose projects are selected at Kharkhorum may also receive support from this fund.

For International Filmmakers

Kharkhorum IFF accepts feature films from the past two years, making it accessible to international filmmakers whose work aligns with the festival's thematic focus. The festival's location in Ulaanbaatar provides exposure to Central Asian audiences that few other festivals offer.

The festival screens a mix of international commercial and art house films alongside Mongolian productions. The 2025 program included films from France, South Korea, Japan, and other countries, indicating an openness to diverse international cinema.

International filmmakers interested in co-production opportunities should attend the festival's Industry Day activities. The panel discussions on commercial film development, animation, and copyright provide context for navigating the Mongolian film industry.

Practical Considerations

Ulaanbaatar is accessible through Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN), located approximately 50 kilometers from the city center. The festival venues are in central Ulaanbaatar, including the Chinggis Khaan National Museum, MPM Event Hall, and Shangri La IMAX theater.

The June to July timing is strategic. Ulaanbaatar's winter temperatures drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius from November through March, making the summer months the most practical time for an international festival. The October timing of UBIFF and the June to July timing of Kharkhorum give filmmakers two windows for Mongolian festival participation.

The festival does not have FIAPF accreditation and is not an Academy Award qualifying festival. It does not have an attached film market in the traditional sense, though its pitching sessions and Mongolian Film Projects program provide market-adjacent opportunities for deal-making and international exposure.

Major Awards

The festival presents three competitive awards:

• Best Feature Film - jury prize for the best narrative feature from the past two years
• Best Documentary Film - jury prize celebrating outstanding achievements in documentary filmmaking
• Award of the Respective Topic of the Year - themed award tied to each edition's focus (e.g., human rights in 2023)

Specific cash prize amounts have not been publicly detailed. The festival's official materials indicate that the three awards are the primary competitive prizes, with additional recognition through the Mongolian Film Projects program. Filmmakers should check the festival website for current prize information.

Festival History

The Kharkhorum International Film Festival was established in 2023 by the Film Bridge Development Association, in collaboration with the Mongolian National Film Council. The inaugural edition was themed "HUMAN RIGHTS-75" in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This theme held particular significance for Mongolia, which has championed human rights principles since its accession to the United Nations in 1961.

The 2023 edition was organized in close collaboration with the Mongolian National Human Rights Committee, the Ministry of Culture, and other organizations. It presented films addressing civil and political rights, economic rights, and cultural rights, exploring issues from freedom of expression and equality to discrimination and marginalized communities.

The festival was initially announced as a November event starting from 2024, but the 2025 edition was held from June 27 to July 2. This shift to summer timing aligns with Ulaanbaatar's climate constraints and avoids the extreme winter conditions that make travel and logistics difficult from November through April.

The 2025 edition marked a significant expansion in scope, screening international films from France, South Korea, Japan, and other countries alongside Mongolian productions. The festival added panel discussions on animation development, copyright issues, and commercial film development in Mongolia, reflecting its growing role as an industry forum as well as a screening event.

The festival's Mongolian Film Projects program has emerged as a key pipeline for Mongolian cinema to reach international markets. The documentary "Forty Years Carrying Salt," directed by Badralmaa B. and based on journalist Chantsaldulam Dorj's reporting for ergelt.mn, was selected in the second stage of the Kharkhorum festival in June 2025, received support from the Mongolian National Film Council's 2025 Cinema Support Fund, and subsequently won first place in the Mongolian Film Projects program at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival. This trajectory demonstrates the festival's role as a launchpad for Mongolian films into the international circuit.

The festival's name references Kharkhorum (also spelled Karakorum), the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan in the 13th century. The ruins of Kharkhorum are located in modern-day Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This naming connects the festival to Mongolia's imperial history while positioning contemporary Mongolian cinema within a global cultural framework.

See Also

For Mongolia's other major festival, see Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival (UBIFF). To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. For Central Asian cinema markets and distribution, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy and premiere planning, see Film Festival Strategy. Visit the Kharkhorum IFF website for current submission information and program details.