Agaar, a young shepherd in Inner Mongolia, is a modern youth who believes that traditional herding cannot get him his dream car - a BMW. He once learned English online, got a job on a cruise ship, and traveled around the Caribbean. For ambitious Agaar, the grassland is too small. He tries to change its future with a smartphone and the internet. Against the backdrop of the rapidly changing grasslands of Inner Mongolia, Yang Bo observes Agaar and his family with an intimate gaze. The film becomes especially moving when, lost somewhere between dreams and reality, the grassland and the internet, their attitudes towards life remains unshaken. The family has a natural optimism and a sense of humor, as well as trust and kind words for one another. “Life is too bitter, so have some sweets, mother.” Like Agaar’s words, AGAAR has a strange, magical power that makes life feel a little less bitter. It is a bittersweet portrait of 21st-century Inner Mongolia and a memorable family drama.
Born in Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China, he graduated from the Advertising Directing Department at the Beijing Film Academy. He has since worked as a documentary director, collaborating with galleries, foundations, and museums both in China and abroad to document the work and lives of artists. In particular, over the course of 18 years, he has made more than 20 mid-length documentaries documenting the work of painter Liu Xiaodong, including Your Friends, Borders, K.O., and Cuban Family. AGAAR is his first feature documentary.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
