As with Robert Flaherty in his classic Nanook of the North, Bulgarian filmmaker Milko Lazerov creates an ethnographic narrative of dwellers in the arctic (here the Mongolian-Asian far north, in Yakutia, using a sparse cast of locals re-enacting timeless traditional life, with often sublime visuals. The simple but affecting story, strung along with astounding widescreen vistas and snowy-white compositions depict an aged couple, Nanook (Mikhail Aprosimov) and his ailing but upbeat wife Sedna (Feodosia Ivanova), in their routines of trapping, fur-making (not simulated, we must warn animal lovers) and protecting their yurt during heavy storms. Industrial civilization - to which their estranged daughter Ága ran away - is a distant but tangible force, apparently a factor in the thinning reindeer herds, slowly rising temperatures, and dying wildlife that etches pain on Nanook's largely inexpressive face. Slow-paced but majestic, it ends with a timely indictment of "civilization" and the wounds it has inflicted on the Earth. Highly recommended. Dialogue in Yakut with English subtitles. (Aud: P)
Aga
Aga
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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