ALFF Program - Happy People: A Year in the Taiga

Sunday, February 12 at 11:00am

Dir. Dmitry Vasyukov & Werner Herzog
Germany, 2011, 94 minutes

A portrait of the life of the people, particularly focusing on the trappers who live there, of the village Bakhtia at the river Yenisei in the Siberian Taiga - one of the largest ecosystems in Russia. Accessible only by boat and helicopter, the village of Bakhtia is populated by a mere 300.
The camera follows the protagonists in the village over a period of a year. The perpetually bemused Herzog (also producer) provides the narration. His admiration for the locals’ capacity to enjoy a full life in this environment is only matched by his delight when discovering the complete absence of bureauracy and other contemporary malaises.
With a technique perfected in Grizzly Man, Herzog has culled scenic footage from Vasyukov’s excursion into this remote region and woven it into a fascinating tale.

Screening sponsor: Midnight Sun Coffee Roaster