Does Mogi’s future lie with her horses on the Mongolian steppe, or in the city?

The celebrated short film White Grass captures the changing lives of the nomadic people of the Mongolian steppe by following the story of a 10-year-old girl named Munkhjargal (or Mogi) who has a passion for horses. The South Korean-born, Los Angeles-based filmmaker Justin Kim WooSŏk follows Mogi as she trains for a race leading up to Naadam – a centuries-old Mongolian festival featuring competitive horse racing, wrestling and archery. The changing nature of life in Mongolia permeates the story. Extreme cold-weather events known as dzuds have grown more intense and frequent due to climate change, putting at risk the nomadic herding lifestyle that has persisted on the steppe for millennia. And while Mogi’s father and coach is proud that she is the family’s first female racer, he wonders if she’ll ultimately pursue a life in the city, away from her beloved horses.