Angry Spirits

ANGRY SPIRITS follows Ainur, a young Mongolian erotic dancer in Ulaanbaatar, as nightmares and a growing sense of illness leave her feeling lonely and uprooted. She believes evil spirits may be taking hold of her, and the film opens on her search for relief and direction. Guided by shamans, Ainur travels back toward her family's land in northern Mongolia and the Gobi Desert, hoping to reconnect with her roots, her ancestors, and the spirits of nature. The journey is both physical and emotional, and the film stays close to her everyday life while also weaving in symbolic dream passages. The story expands beyond one woman's struggle to consider the fragile bond between people and the natural world. Along the way, ANGRY SPIRITS contrasts the beauty of the landscape with the destructive impact of mining, suggesting a conflict between spiritual tradition, survival, and environmental damage. Director Iris Pakulla, who lived and researched in Mongolia for many years, built a long-term relationship with Ainur that gives the film unusually intimate access to her world. The result blends observed life, urban scenes in Ulaanbaatar, and poetic staging into a hybrid documentary portrait of ANGRY SPIRITS.