Der Wind der Heimat

“The Wind of Home” is a documentary film that negotiates different perspectives on identity, tradition and longing in a very personal way. The film focuses on Michael Donovan (71) from the Rhineland who has been active in the Cologne Mongolian Association for 30 years. The association consists of passionate carnival enthusiasts who cultivate Mongolian traditions from suits to their customs but hardly anyone has come into contact with the predominant culture in East Asia. The Mongolians from Cologne only know Mongolia from stories and pictures. The parallel perspective is represented by Ayunga Khiyad, the author of this film, who comes from the Chinese province of “Inner Mongolia”. He grew up between two worlds: The heritage of his Mongolian ancestors and modern China. Being a cultural nomad living and studying in Germany allowed him to reflect on his own identity. Together, Michael and Ayunga gain an unforgettable experience in the seemingly familiar yet unfamiliar Mongolia and put their expectations to the test. The film is a search for identity and one's own roots. It asks the question of what home is, what comprises it and how to find it – with special attention to a situation in which one ventures into the uncharted waters of an ultimately foreign culture.

(KHM)