This debut feature follows young Jabai selling mountain onions alongside the highway as he tries to save his parents’ marriage in a madcap dash to China. Having caught his idol trucker in a romantic tryst with his mother, Jabai and his sister Saniya embark on a journey from their small village in Kazakhstan to China to obtain the only thing that will save their parents’ marriage – ‘The Golden Viagra’. Shot in stunning widescreen to showcase the rolling green hills and wide blue skies of rural Kazakhstan – a place populated with characters as quirky and vibrant as their mismatched wardrobes.
“Mountain Onion takes on a surreal, Wes Anderson-esque quality that at time borders on the absurd, this is a world in which hope never dies, love conquers all and happy endings are pretty much guaranteed.” – Screen Daily
“Boasting great performances from all involved, Mountain Onion is a true treat that signifies Shibanov and family as a team to watch in world cinema.” – Film Inquiry
2022 Venice International Film Festival: WINNER HFPA Prize
2023 Raindance Film Festival: Official Selection
