The Unopened Letter
Byambasuren Batdelger
Mongolia. 2026. 111 min
Genden loved his son as a piece of his own flesh and blood, yet he had no choice but to send him off to war. He lived only for the hope that his only child on this earth would return alive and well. Upon hearing the news that his son had become a war hero, Genden was overjoyed and spoke proudly of it to everyone he met.
Soon after, a tragic letter arrived stating that his son had been killed on the front lines. The locals, afraid to deliver the bitter news, avoided the old man. Searching for someone to read the letter aloud, Genden finally had a neighbor’s little girl read it, bringing him face-to-face with the heartbreaking news. However, Genden refused to believe that he had lost the only child he had raised so preciously. Amidst this, he summons a man named Galsan to court to demand justice for his biological son’s life. Having just been struck by the harsh blow of separation, he thus finds himself entangled in a matter of life and death.
But soon, a rumor spreads that one of the soldiers thought to be dead has survived and is returning home. Hearing this, Genden hurriedly sets off for the brigade center. Will the hope deep within his soul be extinguished, or will it blaze anew?