Further is all one wanted to know about Andrei Borisov’s movie “The Mystery of Genghis Khan” known initially as “By the Will of Genghis Khan”
Genre: Historical epic drama.
Release Date: March 12, 2009. In Russia and CIS.
Running Time: 2 hrs. 20 min.
Budget: $10 million
Produced by: Vladimir Ivanov (Russia), Ichinkholoo Nyamgavaa (Mongolia), Sarnai Tessitore (USA).
Directed by: Andrei Borisov.
Starring: Eduard Ondar (Republic of Tuva, Russia), Orgil Makhaan (Mongolia), Tu Men (China), Stepanida Borisova (Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Russia), Oleg Taktarov (Russia), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (USA), Gernot Grimm (Germany), others.
Official website: http://www.chingiskhanfilm.ru/ in Russian
The Secret of History, the History of the Secret
A gloomy inquisition dungeon. A man on the ground. He is in a state of bliss. Brother John. God’s man. A wandering missionary. In expectation of the death penalty he is recalling his wandering across Asia. He was doomed to save Genghis Khan…
..Three childhood friends, three sworn brothers. One was initiated into the sacrament and grew into the great shaman. Two of them are brave ones. They followed the way of war and the nation eventually recognized them as leaders but only one of them became the master of the whole steppe.
His father named him Temujin. He was chosen by the Everlasting Blue Sky and the Sky put him to the test.
The man who wanted to marry his mother stole his wife.
His half brother broke the Law proclaimed by Him above all.
But no option exists. The Sky made choice. Love for woman changed Temujin into a warrior, his allegiance to the Law turned him into a fratricide, and his aspiration for peaceful life forced him to initiate the war.
He stood trials. He absorbed all the powers of nature and the council of nine-languages-speaking tribes proclaimed him the ruler and gave him the name of the ancient god, Genghis Khan.
In that way, the powerful empire was born. Tribes joined to Genghis Khan’s army took a new name. Mongols. That means Warriors of the Dragon.
Those warriors conquered half the world, reached the West, southern seas, and northern mountains…
The world learned about the history of the Great Empire birth and the secret of the Mongols from unknown Chinese’s notes. As from now, Brother John must tell the whole truth of Asia. About its steppes, expanses, rivers, mountains, lakes. About nations dwelling there. About the Law to observe at the cost of life. About the Sky that is only one above people.
The secret of Genghis Khan’s title is kept in Russia.
Movie Key Facts
Authenticity
Nowadays, the descendants of tribes united under Genghis Khan’s banners live on the territories of Russia’s Siberia and the Far East, Mongolia and China. In the picture, actors speak nine Mongol-Turkic languages including Siberian and Far-Eastern small peoples’ tongues. Tuvinians, Buryats, Yakuts, Mongols, Altais, Russians, Khakas, Bashkirs, Japanese, a German, Chinese, an American… All of them are starring in the feature film.
This is an Asian movie about Asia, the inner view. Genghis Khan’s progenies scattered across the whole Asia and people not indifferent to that historical epoch united to create “By the Will of Genghis Khan”. More than five thousands people of different nations worked on the movie.
Dimensions
In the course of two years, shooting had been conducting on the very territories of the past Genghis Khan’s Empire. In Siberia, the Far East, Mongolia, and China. Unique landscapes such as ice-covered Kihilyakh Mountains in Yakutia, the Great Mongolian Steppe, the Gobi Desert, the fast and furious Altai River, Baikal with sacred waters, the Valley of Kings in Khakassia, make people thinking of the everlasting nature and transience of human lives.
About hundreds professional mounted stuntmen with thousands mutes who actually were Mongolian regular army soldiers, participated in battle scenes shot in China and Mongolia.
Ecological compatibility
The name of Genghis Khan given to Temujin has a special meaning to the nations of Siberia and Mongolia. It is the title originated from nature. There was the ancient god that was the maker of people’s fate as well as the master of water world. To nomads, the latter has the same significance. Water delivers life in the steppe. Genghis Khan means the Sea that is the old name of Sacred Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake. Legends say the great divine dragon, Abarga Mogoi, inhabits in waters of Baikal. That is why nine-languages-speaking tribes called themselves warriors of Mogol Dragon (Mongols).
Timeliness
Release date for Russia and CIS: March 12, 2008.
ACTORS
Genghis Khan (Eduard Ondar, Tuva / Russia)
Temujin’s trials, his fear to overcome, beloved people to loose, tragic choice to make between blood shedding and unitor’s great goal, personal affections and state interests, are considered to be the spiritual development of the Emperor named after the god, Genghis Khan.
Jamuka (Orgil Makhaan, Mongolia)
Temujin’s friend, sworn brother, rival, and exact antithesis. After Genghis Khan’s warrior had murdered his younger brother, Jamuka levied war upon his best friend. The Great Yassa (Code) separated them. He mounted the altar for the sake of the Great Law. Executed by the will of destiny. There could be two heavenly bodies only, after all.
Orgil Makhaan played the part of Genghis Khan in BBC’s documentary.
Khokhochoi (Efim Stepanov, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Genghis Khan’s childhood friend, stepbrother, and ideological opponent. He became a shaman. As true ancient traditions defender, he attempted to stand in Genghis Khan and his Yassa’s way.
B?rte (Susan Oorzhak, Tuva / Russia)
Temujin’s first love. An innocent victim of tribal revenge. He conquered the large Merkit tribe in order to rescue her. It was her whom Genghis Khan was forced to erase from his memory later for the sake of future and nation’s honour.
Brother John (Gernot Grimm, Germany)
A prototype of European missionaries and travelers, who told stories of the Mongol Empire. Such as Plano Karpini, Guillom de Rubruk, and Marco Polo.
Hoelun (Stepanida Borisova, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Elders had predicted Hoelun would give birth to the warrior. That was her first son who became the defender of the family then. The unbending widow set an example of steadfastness for her kids. She taught them to remember their origins.
Stepanida Borisova is a well-known world music performer.
Shen Mi Jeng (Tu Men, China)
A Chinese monk and chronicler. Became Genghis Khan’s friend and adviser. It is generally known that “The Secret History of the Mongols” literary work was found at the Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
Tu Men’s Genghis Khan is the most acknowledged in China. He portrayed the Man of Millennium in the film broadcasted on the biggest Chinese national channel in prime time. Tu Men came from the Inner Mongolia.
Temujin in childhood (Ayan Uspun, Tuva / Russia)
His child affection transformed into his first real love. His bosom-friends, Khokhochoi and Jamuka, were doomed to play crucial roles in Temujin’s adult life. The loss of father and uncle’s betrayal made him a social outcast.
Temujin in youth (Sergei Yegorov, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
After his brother’s death he comprehended captivity humiliation. He went through loneliness, starvation, and hardship. But the image of his farther appeared to be his guiding star for finding the destined way.
Hoelun in youth (Iliana Pavlova, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Yes?gei, a small Borjigin tribe leader, saw a beautiful woman and said ‘The Sky warned me, she will be my wife. I don’t care if she is someone’s bride.’
Chiledu (Saidash Mongush, Tuva / Russia)
Aggrieved Chiledu nursed a grievance. Twenty years later, he revenged upon Yes?gei, who had passed away a long time ago. He stole Borte, his opponent son’s wife. Temujin was obliged to declare war against the Merkits.
Saidash Mongush is also known as an acclaimed throat singer.
Targutai (Tuvshikhuu Munkhzaya, Mongolia)
The Ta’yichiut tribe leader. Yes?gei’s second wife brother. Hankering for the departed Yes?gei’s property, Targutai caused many sorrows to Hoelun and her children.
Tuvshikhuu Munkhzaya was the real embodiment of Genghis Khan on the 800th Anniversary of the Great Mongolian State.
Tayan Khan (Hurmatulla Utyashev, Bashkortostan / Russia)
The Naiman chieftain. After a glorious victory over the Naimans, nobody and nothing may stop Genghis Khan in his quest to conquer the world.
Kuchulug Khan (Oleg Taktarov, Russia-USA)
Tayan Khan’s son was paid off cruelly for his defiance towards ignoble upstart Genghis Khan.
Oleg Taktarov is a Russian mixed martial artist and actor. Partial Filmography: “Air Force One” (1997), “15 Minutes” (2001), “Bad Boys II” (2003), “National Treasure” (2004), “Montana” (2007).
Gurbesu (Elena Roumyanzeva, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Tayan Khan’s wife. Arrogant steppe woman took Genghis Khan’s proposal of marriage as an offence. To make a protest, she smeared aristocratic make-up.
Bodyguard (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, USA)
A Naiman empress’ bodyguard. He was utterly devoted to and in love with his mistress. A Hollywood villain Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played an unusual part in Andrei Borisov’s movie. Tagawa’s partial filmography: ”The Last Emperor” (1987), ”Mortal Kombat” (1995), ”Pearl Harbor” (2001), ”Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005).
CREW
Andrei Borisov,
Director
Acclaimed theatrical director. Owner of the USSR, Russia and Yakutia’s state awards. Zolotaya Maska National Theatrical Award Winner. Sakha Drama Theatre Chief Director. ”By the Will of Genghis Khan” is his debut as a feature director.
‘Steppe is like a tambourine,’ says Andrei Borisov. ‘When the sun heats the instrument up to +40C, it stretches and drones. When it’s raining, the tambourine goes limp. The great steppe drones in me like a tambourine. My soul holds the passions of people with “slanting and greedy eyes” that look over endless expanses, immense spaces. This movie inseparably bonds our history, nature, and the geography of wandering. From here we derive our strength and inspiration, the energy of mountains, steppes, sky and water. That’s the source of our fervent desire to overturn the world’s stereotypes on Asian nations and submerge into the holographic space of history and geography.’
Gennady Sotnikov
Stage manager
Owner of the USSR and Russia’s state awards. Cooperation between Yakut director Andrei Borisov and St Petersburg cinematography expert lasted a quarter of a century. Together they created the new aesthetics of the Yakut lyric-epic theatre.
External field production started in April of 2005 and finished in September of 2007. Gennady Sotnikov’s heart stopped beating in summer of 2007. Film creators made the decision to dedicate the movie to Gennady Petrovich Sotnikov.
Sotnikov’s work on the movie had been finished by his disciple, a Sakha Theatre artist Michael Yegorov.
Yuri Berezhnev, photography director.
Innokentij Ammosov, cameramen.
Albert Kuvezin
Composer
Leader and founder of the world-known Tuvan throat singing punk band Yat-kha. Since 1995 Yat-kha’s Albums hit World Music charts. Awards: Brian Eno’s recognition at 1991 Voices of Asia Festival in Kazakhstan, 1995 French RFI “Decouvertes Est” Prize for Yenisei Punk, 1999 German Critic’s Prize for Dalai Beldiri, 2002 BBC Radio 3 “Award for World Music.”
STUN STAGING
Solbon Lygdenov (Russia)
Chen Qiang (China)
Chuluunbat Batbayar (Mongolia)
Leader of the best horse stunt crew in Mongolia.
Ichinkholoo Nyamgavaa (Mongolia)
Co-producer. Nyamgavaa Film Production director.
His accomplishments as a film director include “Five Fingers of Hand” (1982), “I Love You” (1983), “After Telling Story” (1987), “Conquerors” (1994), “Running Antelope” (1995), “The Land and Soil” (1998), “Ferocious Saint Lord of Gobi” (1998), etc. He has been highly regarded by such international film festivals as Moscow, Nantes, Rotterdam, Fukuoka, Karlovy Vary, and Chicago. Apart from his film activities, Nyamgavaa has put on over 50 stage performances.
Sarnai Tessitore (USA)
Brown Wolf Production Company Director.
Ninzad Dolgor (Mongolia)
Executive producer.
Director, Mongolia National Academy of Arts.
Worked as an executive producer on the Borte Chono movie (Japan, Mongolia).
Andrei Fedulov (Russia)
Executive producer
Partial filmography: “Crankies” (Choknutye), “On the Murom Path”, “Piter FM”, “The Letter” (Pismo, Russia-Canada). Worked on TV Shows such as “Tatyana’s Day”, “Witch-Doctor” (Znakhar), “The Mascot of Love”, “Dawns Here Quiet” (China), etc.
Vladimir Ivanov
Producer, film idea author
‘The movie is our vision of how the Mongol Empire had been creating 800 years ago. Our hero withstood the test of time and was recognized as the Man of Millennium according to The Washington Post. Not long ago people tended to think of him as the tyrant only,’ says the producer.
‘We are willing to reveal current problems in relations between people and nature. Living in sever conditions in Siberia and Central Asia, peoples managed to develop the unique system of life in harmony with environment. It is not in vain that their philosophy was based on the respectful attitude to the Nature. And who said we should be smarter than our ancestors?’
‘The movie recreates the common cultural / spiritual space that reigned in the steppes of Central Asia a long time ago. Since the great antiquity, our languages, customs and traditions remain similar to each other. We are united with the one umbilical cord. To me it is obvious that nations are able and need to cooperate. Without regard to existing borders and long distances, all of us have the only Everlasting Blue Sky.’
Similar Posts:
- Why do people live in Yakutia?
- How is the Sakha (Yakut) language used on the Internet?
- Press Release: Andrey I’s descent into the world’s deepest well
- How to meet shamans in Yakutia?
- About the Sakha alphabet
