Ever imagine living in Siberia? Sure, this looks like a nice day on the river…
But that’s just a small part of what Siberia is. Ever wonder what it’s like to trap sable in -50 degree weather? Oh, and you have to travel to each trap through one of the most heavily forested places in the world…
Imagine having so many questions about life in one of the most extreme parts of the world. Well, thanks to visionary Director Werner Herzog, you now have the answers!
Welcome To The Siberian Wilderness!
You have to check out “Happy People: A Year In The Taiga”! First, take a look at the trailer:
Meet These “Happy People!”
“Happy People: A Year In The Taiga” is a terrific documentary that spends a year in the life of the indigenous people living in Bakhtia, the heart of the Siberian Taiga; a small knit community of 300+ villagers whose daily lives haven’t changed over the last century – it’s a fascinating look at their lives, and their cultural traditions.
And yes, that is a frozen fish that sits most of the year outside – since the entire outdoors is a freezer! This was originally a TV documentary series for Russian TV. Acclaimed Director Werner Herzog came upon it and turned it into a feature-length documentary which is now out on DVD!
When you say “year in the life”, it really means 3 months of summer and 9 months of hellish, wintry conditions – in sub-zero temperatures – that are more extreme than most people could handle…
Cue The Dogs!
There are amazing parts to the lives that these people lead, including a fascinating look at the dogs who literally keep these trappers alive during the winter…their only companions for months on end…
You get to meet these solitary trappers, who spend months in the wilderness hunting sable, living alone in snowed-in log cabins in the middle of the wilderness…
Director Herzog oversaw the cut down of the material, and he does all of the voice over work as well…and the DVD includes an introduction to the film he did in front of an audience, in which he explains how he got involved in the project….
Also included on the DVD is an excerpt from the original TV series – called “Chasing Spring In West Siberia”…if you like documentaries that uncover a completely unique way of life, this is the one for you!
Werner’s Penguins!
Werner Herzog has a number of terrific documentaries, each one narrated by the Director…including one that takes a fascinating look at the people who live at the end of the earth!
Life Among Penguins!
If you want to check out more Werner Herzog, click HERE to read about his great Antarctica documentary, “Encounters At The End Of The World”!
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