10 awesome Yakut movies not to be missed
Miscellaneous / / October 31, 2021
Films about spirits from the tundra, survival on the track and confrontation with a home sadist await you.
1. Icchi
- Russia, 2020.
- Horror, thriller.
- Duration: 87 minutes.
- IMDb: 5.8.
A native of Yakutia named Timir comes to his parents with his Russian wife Liza and a young son. It soon turns out that the man is in debt dangerous people, and the purpose of his visit is actually to persuade the father and mother to sell the house and the land. But this area has long been shrouded in bad glory, and now the whole family will have to face the terrible ghosts of the past.
The talented director Kostas Marsan has always been fond of mysticism, but he made his debut with the detective "My Killer", which will be discussed below. However, then the director nevertheless returned to his favorite otherworldly theme and shot the horror film Ichchi. The family drama unfolds here against the backdrop of a revelry of supernatural forces from traditional Yakut legends and beliefs.
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2. My killer
- Russia, 2016.
- Detective, thriller, crime.
- Duration:
- IMDb: 6.0.
Young operative Julus is investigating the murder of the girl. The identity of the culprit is found out suspiciously quickly - he turns out to be the lover of the murdered. This fact confuses the detective, and the hero decides to see the case through. Evidence leads him to a mysterious gang that lives off the extraction of gold from local mines.
Kostas Marsan's debut film combines the charm of Yakutia with the atmosphere of Hong Kong and Korean action films. The picture was almost immediately noticed at the World Asian Film Festival, and then it was also nominated for the Golden Globe.
3. Bonfire in the wind
- Russia, 2016.
- Drama.
- Duration: 85 minutes.
- IMDb: 6.4.
A young guy, accidentally taking the life of a friend, kills himself. Elderly fathers, having lost their only sons, perceive the loss differently. One learns to live on, the other drowns grief in alcohol and wants revenge.
Self-taught director Dmitry Davydov made his full-length debut drama Bonfire in the Wind with his own money. There is not even a single professional actor in the frame: all the roles were performed by the director's fellow villagers. The film did not pay off at the box office, but at the same time conquered world film festivals and made critics talk about Davydov as a talented nugget.
4. Black Snow
- Russia, 2021.
- Drama, thriller.
- Duration: 84 minutes.
- IMDb: 6.4.
The greedy trucker Gosha carries cargo to a distant northern village, simultaneously exchanging meat and fish for low-quality vodka. The hero is not too worried about poisoning his fellow countrymen. But soon he will pay off: during repairs on an empty road, a multi-ton truck falls directly onto the man's hand.
Stepan Burnashev has already become the most promising horror maker Republic of Sakha. In 2018, he shot the first Yakut film about zombies "Republic Z", and now he is back with a chamber, but very violent thriller. In terms of the degree of stress, this work can easily compete with another survival story, also based on real events - "127 hours".
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5. Whaler
- Russia, Poland, Belgium, 2020.
- Drama, adventure.
- Duration: 93 minutes.
- IMDb: 6.5.
An ordinary Chukchi teenager Lyoshka falls in love with a webcam model with the nickname Hollysweet999. And now the hero thinks only about how to get to the girl in America, which, as it seems to him, is within easy reach.
The film, shot in Russian by VGIK graduate Philip Yuriev, was highly appreciated at Kinotavr. This film will definitely appeal to those who appreciate bright and tastefully selected soundtracks. And he will also fall in love with himself with his touching naivety and magnificent landscapes of Yakutia.
6. Scarecrow
- Russia, 2020.
- Drama.
- Duration: 72 minutes.
- IMDb: 6.5.
A Yakut healer, nicknamed the Scarecrow, lives on the edge of a small village. Locals call them a charlatan and mock the woman in every possible way. But at the same time they lead to the Scarecrow to treat the hopelessly sick. After her manipulations, people do recover. But every time the witch saves someone's life, she shortens her own.
Dmitry Davydov's film received the main prize of Kinotavr, and this event became a real triumph for Yakut cinema. Indeed, before the pictures from the Republic of Sakha could not even make their way into the competition program of the festival.
Watch in iTunes →
7. The king-bird
- Russia, 2018.
- Drama.
- Duration: 80 minutes.
- IMDb: 6.9.
Yakutia, 1930s. Grandfather Mikipper and his wife Oppuos live out their days deep in the taiga. Once a brazen eagle flies to them and settles on a larch near the house. The old people first scold the bird, which, in their opinion, did not appear for good. But over time, the attitude of the heroes to the acclimate changes, and they begin to feed him.
The wonderful work of Eduard Novikov based on the story of the Yakut author Vasily Yakovlev "The larch that has grown old with me" combines many meanings. This is both a story about the unity of man with nature, and a social parable, and a tragic sketch about the inevitability of fate.
8. The sun does not set over me
- Russia, 2019.
- Drama, comedy.
- Duration: 108 minutes.
- IMDb: 7.1.
For educational purposes, the young video blogger Altan is sent to work on a deserted northern island. There he meets the lonely old man Baybal. The two heroes do not immediately find a common language, but gradually grow closer.
Altan learns from a new friend that he once lost his only daughter Nadia at sea. However, the girl's body was never found. Then the guy decides that social networks can help in finding her.
The work of Lyubov Borisova is ideal if you want to admire the northern nature and enjoy the wonderful acting work of Yakut artists and at the same time take a break from heavy topics. It is very kind and life-affirming a movie about the relationship between generations, after which there will be a desire to call parents.
9. His daughter
- Russia, 2016.
- Biography, drama.
- Duration: 96 minutes.
- IMDb: 7.1.
Early 1970s. First-grader Tanya lives with her grandparents in the Yakut wilderness. Moreover, every day is a real adventure for a girl. But soon an event occurs, after which Tanya's former happy world collapses.
The Yakut director Tatyana Everstova has made two films at the moment, both of which are based on her own biography. In her debut film "His Daughter", the director spoke about the brightest and most cloudless period of her life - childhood. The film has almost no plot and consists of separate episodes from the girl's life. But it is precisely this approach that allows you to create a very holistic and touching picture of memories.
And in the sequel "Closure" (2021), again based on the personal story of Everstova, the same heroine grows up and faces serious problems. But critics and viewers did not appreciate this work so highly.
10. Yeah
Ága
- Bulgaria, Germany, France, 2018.
- Drama.
- Duration: 96 minutes.
- IMDb: 7.3.
Spouses Nanuk and Sedna live in a lonely yurt in the middle of the snowy tundra. Their life is hard, but they do not succumb to discouragement. Only one thing upsets the couple: their daughter Agha once left them and is now working in diamond mining near the town of Mirny.
The film was shot by the Bulgarian director Milko Lazarov, but in Yakutia and with Yakut actors. It is a minimalist and eminently poetic canvas about how civilization gradually penetrates even the most distant corners of the Earth.
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