Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (***1/4)

This documentary, codirected by Werner Herzog, might well have been called Trapped in Siberia. The title might refer to the isolation of the setting, which for more than half the year is accessible only by helicopter from outside the region. Or it might refer to the fate of the sable and other wildlife that are caught by the movie’s “star,” a personable 60-year-old who has been making his life and living for 40 years using an ax, things he makes with his axe (such as skis), and a snowmobile. He spends much of the year roaming a “territory” of about 1500 square kilometers, stocking a series of self-made cabins in the fall, then returning throughout the winter to reap the animals caught in his traps. When the Yenisei River is not frozen over, he catches a lot of fish, too.

There are other people in the film; primarily they are other men who are making a living in traditional ways. The provides only limited cultural context, and virtually no political context, for the lives these men lead. Moreover, while the term “taiga” applies to northern forested lands around the globe, the film specifically deals with one sparsely populated area of Siberia, and leaves out the details of village life. (Visually, the town holds decidedly less charm than the natural landscapes.) This is not a bad thing, but the no-nonsense approach way surprise those who’ve seen Herzog documentaries such as Encounters at the End of the World (filmed in Antartica) or Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Perhaps because this is a collaboration (with Dmitry Vasyukov), Herzog’s German-accented narration is devoid of the speculation and philosophizing he has often employed. Perhaps also he is taking a cue from his leading man, whose own explanations (in Russian, with subtitles) of what he is doing are clear and concise. And, of course, the man’s skill with an ax speaks for itself.

Notwithstanding the apparent contentment of these “happy people,” I doubt anyone viewing this will be persuaded to adopt their lifestyle. Yet it’s impossible not to admire their independence and self-sufficiency.

IMDb link

viewed 2/22/13 7:20 pm at Ritz Bourse and reviewed 2/23/13