{"id":50040,"date":"2026-10-26T02:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T01:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/?p=50040"},"modified":"2026-10-26T02:36:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T01:36:14","slug":"zero-point-action-mongolian-sci-fi-aldar-enkhbayar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/culture-sports\/zero-point-action-mongolian-sci-fi-aldar-enkhbayar\/","title":{"rendered":"Trapped in a time loop: How Zero Point Action is pushing Mongolian cinema into science fiction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A man returns home, only to be murdered. Then it happens again. And again. In Zero Point Action<\/em>, Mongolian director Aldar Enkhbayar turns this unsettling premise into a 131-minute science-fiction thriller that combines the tension of a video game with reflections on family, justice and personal responsibility. Selected for the 2026 Asian Film Festival Barcelona, the film also addresses contemporary concerns in Mongolia, from Ulaanbaatar’s air pollution to the consequences of individual choices. Speaking to Novastan Editor-in-Chief Mathieu Lemoine, Enkhbayar discusses the origins of his film, his ambitions for Mongolian cinema and a planned sequel that will take the story back to the 13th century.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Novastan: Zero Point Action begins with a fascinating premise: a man finds himself trapped in a time loop in which he is repeatedly murdered. Where did the original idea come from? What attracted you to the concept of repetition, death and the possibility of changing one’s fate?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aldar Enkhbayar:<\/strong> First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mathieu and the team at Novastan for interviewing me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me begin by explaining why I chose this title for the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything begins from a “zero point.” For instance, human life starts from a single cell in the womb. If we think of the womb as a zero point, the chromosome represents a starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we write on a blank sheet of paper, the first mark appears the moment the pen touches the page, and we decide which letters to write next. The universe itself originated from a void, a space from which worlds emerged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, people reach the end of a chapter in their lives, draw a line under what they have been doing and decide to start again from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These ideas inspired me to name the film Zero Point<\/em>. “Action” is the subtitle of this particular instalment, as the planned sequel will be called Zero Point: Origin<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film was inspired by a 200-word short story called “Seven Days Spent with Him,” from the book The Night Visitor<\/em> by Mongolian author Tsogtbaatar Uuganbayar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the original story, a couple meets at an airport. On their way back, they are involved in a tragic accident in which the young man loses his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I reflected on the story, I began to wonder: what if we turned this narrative into a time loop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That creative spark prompted me to start writing the screenplay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aldar Enkhbayar, director of the Mongolian science-fiction thriller Zero Point Action<\/em>. Courtesy of the film’s production team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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One of the things that impressed us most was how the film maintained our attention throughout its 131 minutes. At times, we almost felt as though we were inside a video game, navigating different scenarios and challenges alongside the protagonist. Was that resemblance intentional? Were you influenced by particular games or films?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Naturally, great films and video games from around the world have had a profound influence on me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I grew up playing video games, and I particularly enjoy puzzle-solving, adventure, strategy and detective games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wanted to translate that intense, suspenseful feeling directly to the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though some viewers might not play or care much about video games, I thought bringing that interactive, high-stakes sense of momentum to the big screen would be a very exciting challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more on Novastan<\/strong>: Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir: \u201cHousing is the Mongolian dream \u2013 and nightmare\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beyond its science-fiction premise, the film addresses several issues affecting contemporary Mongolian society. We were particularly struck by the references to air pollution and smog in Ulaanbaatar, as well as the broader social context. Why was it important to incorporate these elements? Do you see science fiction as a particularly effective way to address social problems?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cinema is one of the most powerful tools available to us. It directly affects our vision, hearing, emotions and psychology, while also shaping social values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here in Ulaanbaatar, we have been struggling with severe winter air pollution for many years, and it is a crisis we have not managed to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What deeply disturbs me is that various illnesses, including cancers, affect people of all ages, from children and young people to the elderly. The smog also poses risks to unborn children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wanted audiences to see these elements in the film and take a moment to reflect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above all, I wanted to convey to the younger generation that we must take responsibility for our lives, appreciate human nature and cherish the people around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, I wanted to encourage greater curiosity and enthusiasm for science among young Mongolians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read more on Novastan<\/strong>: Keeping the heat in: Mongolia\u2019s overlooked answer to Ulaanbaatar\u2019s air pollution<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Questions of justice, responsibility and the consequences of individual decisions run throughout the film. Without revealing too much of the plot, how did you approach these themes? Were you interested in exploring the tensions between personal morality, institutional justice and taking matters into one’s own hands?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was a fascinating theme to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every single action a person takes matters immensely. A harsh word, a look or a careless gesture can completely alter the course of a relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must learn to look beyond ourselves and care for others, because our choices are connected to the lives of thousands of people we may never even meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is truly like a chain reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Despite its action-driven narrative, Zero Point Action also has a strong emotional dimension, particularly through Tengis’s relationship with his wife, Khuslen. Redemption seems to be one of the film’s underlying themes. How important were family relationships and the possibility of personal transformation to the story? Do you believe people can genuinely change when given another chance?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Everyone chooses their own path, and everyone makes mistakes. After all, we are all experiencing life in this world for the very first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you watch this film, imagine coming home after an exhausting day. Instead of carrying all your unresolved stress and negativity through the door, imagine leaving them outside and entering with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think how wonderful that would be for the children and partner waiting for you, who would be greeted with warmth and happiness rather than anger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my view, a family home is a sacred space. It should be filled with happiness and goodness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To maintain that atmosphere, you have to make conscious decisions, choose your words carefully and act with kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone makes a mistake and truly recognises it, they will do everything in their power to change. That is why I believe people can genuinely change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above all, family upbringing is vital. What parents teach and instil in their children from an early age ultimately shapes who they become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Family relationships, conflict and the possibility of redemption are central themes in Zero Point Action<\/em>. Courtesy of the film’s production team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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You mentioned that Zero Point Action is the first Mongolian feature film to be mixed in Dolby Atmos, and that you used ARRI cameras with Cooke and anamorphic lenses to achieve its distinctive visual style. What motivated these technical choices, and how did they contribute to the immersive experience you wanted to create? How accessible are such technologies to filmmakers in Mongolia today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mongolian cinema is developing at a rapid pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARRI cameras, for example, have been available in Mongolia for more than a decade, and high-quality cinema lenses have become much more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, no full-length feature film had previously been mixed in Dolby Atmos in Mongolia. That was precisely why I wanted to take this pioneering step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wanted to appeal to the audience’s senses and make sure that every scene, every line of dialogue, every sound effect and every action helped draw viewers into a truly immersive experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Behind the scenes of Zero Point Action<\/em>, which director Aldar Enkhbayar says is Mongolia’s first feature film mixed in Dolby Atmos. Courtesy of the film’s production team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Zero Point Action was selected for the 2026 Asian Film Festival Barcelona, giving European audiences an opportunity to discover a different side of Mongolian cinema. What does this international screening mean to you? How have Mongolian audiences responded to the film, and what challenges do filmmakers face when trying to reach audiences beyond Mongolia?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mongolian audiences had mixed reactions to the film. Some praised it warmly, while others found it a little difficult to understand at first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything has two sides, doesn’t it? (Laughs.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the festival in Barcelona, we did not approach it with grand expectations or dreams of instant glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We simply wanted to submit the film and see what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My hope was that international audiences and festival-goers would notice it and think, “Oh, Mongolian filmmakers are exploring science fiction too,” and become interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you win or lose, you have to take the leap and try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The official poster for Zero Point Action<\/em>, released in Mongolia in October 2025 and selected for the 2026 Asian Film Festival Barcelona. Courtesy of the film’s production team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Read more on Novastan<\/strong>: Rinat Bekchintaev: \u201cAlmaty has an authentic cinematic image that cannot be repeated anywhere else\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, looking ahead, what kinds of stories would you like to explore in your future projects? Are there particular genres or aspects of Mongolian history and society that you would like to bring to the screen?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As I mentioned earlier, one of my main goals is to continue the Zero Point<\/em> project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have not yet fully revealed how or why the temporal anomaly came into existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And let me share a little secret: Zero Point: Origin<\/em> is actually set in the 13th century…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Mathieu Lemoine, Editor-in-Chief for Novastan English.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What happens when a man is forced to relive his own murder? Mongolian filmmaker Aldar Enkhbayar discusses the ideas behind Zero Point Action, the influence of video games, the social issues woven into his science-fiction thriller and a surprising new direction for its planned sequel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":358,"featured_media":50050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4670,4939,4],"tags":[5164,5138,3977,4954],"coauthors":[358],"class_list":["post-50040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-sports","category-interview","category-kazakhstan","tag-aldar-enkhbayar","tag-asian-film-festival-barcelona","tag-cinema-2","tag-mongolia"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/358"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50040"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50051,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50040\/revisions\/50051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50040"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=50040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}