Yakut Cinema: How "Home-Made Filming" Conquered Kinotavr and the Moscow International Film Festival

Contents:

• What makes Yakut cinema unique?
• Unique features of Yakut cinema
• Possibilities of distributing Yakut cinema throughout Russia
• Six Yakut films worth your attention

The first full-length film made in Yakutia is considered to be the black-and-white drama "The Secret of the Ancestors," released in 1972. However, during the Soviet period, a stable film tradition did not develop in the republic. The situation changed in the 1990s, when Russian cinema was experiencing a serious crisis, and it was then that modern Yakut cinema emerged, created by Yakuts for their audience. By the late 2020s, this art form began to actively develop, attracting the attention and admiration of viewers. The local audience's love for their cinema, discussions, and pride in it contributed to the fact that the residents of Yakutia themselves began to actively engage in its creation. Film journalist Klara Khomenko studied the history of cinema in Russia's largest republic and shares her findings:

• How self-taught Yakut artists found their way into the Russian film industry.
• Ulus cinema is a unique genre in Yakutia's cinema, distinguished by its originality and reflection of local culture. With limited funding, the creators of these films find creative ways to realize their ideas.

  In Yakutia, where film budgets are often limited, directors and screenwriters engage local residents in filmmaking, leveraging their experience and talent. Camera experts can do without expensive equipment, relying on accessible technology such as smartphones. Furthermore, many scenes are filmed in the actors' familiar surroundings, which helps reduce location costs.

  The community actively supports ulus cinema, as the films often depict the lives and traditions of local people. This creates a strong connection between viewers and the works that reflect their reality. Thus, even with limited resources, Yakut filmmakers continue to create unique and meaningful stories, making ulus cinema an important part of the region's cultural heritage. The saying "if you don't know how, don't try it" is misguided, as it limits opportunities for development and learning. There are many situations where people begin new endeavors despite lack of experience. It is through practice and effort that we acquire the skills and knowledge that later help us succeed. Following this proverb can lead to missed opportunities for growth and self-improvement. Every endeavor, even if it carries the risk of failure, can lead to valuable experience. It's important to remember that no one is born a master; we all learn from our mistakes and overcome challenges to become better. Thus, avoiding new challenges out of fear of incompetence is nothing more than an obstacle to personal development. To understand the fascination with Yakut cinema, it's worth paying attention to several key films and series. These works not only reflect the unique culture and traditions of Yakutia but also offer viewers gripping plots and deep characters. You can start with films like "How I Spent This Summer" and "The Heart of the World," which have received acclaim both at home and abroad. Also worth noting are documentaries that immerse you in the lives and daily lives of local residents. All this will help us better understand what attracts viewers to Yakut cinema and what themes and styles are most relevant.

What makes Yakut cinema unique?

One interpretation of the term "phenomenon" implies something that evokes admiration and surprise. A phenomenon is something astonishing, something that seems impossible, yet actually exists. English: Summarizing the information about the phenomenon of Yakut cinema, the following main points can be highlighted:

• Interest in Yakut cinema has grown significantly after its triumphs at international festivals, as well as at the Moscow Film Festival and Kinotavr.
• Since the early 1990s, Yakut cinema has gradually and quietly developed in its region, receiving impetus from the support of local authorities and the passion of film enthusiasts.
• The cinema of Yakutia finds inspiration in natural landscapes, the daily life of rural residents and the cultural traditions of the people.
• Yakut cinema mainly employs either local theater performers or actors without professional training.
• Films created in Yakutia are produced in the Yakut language and are intended for a local audience.

What is so unusual and even phenomenal about this? Perhaps the very existence of Yakut cinema can be considered a remarkable phenomenon. Every nation strives to see itself in its own artistic creations, to convey its thoughts and feelings through the prism of national symbols and traditions. The ability to discuss one’s life in one’s native language and thus confirm one’s identity and the continuity of one’s cultural heritage is an important aspect that cannot be ignored.

It is surprising that films from distant Yakutia have won recognition at major At festivals such as Kinotavr, the Moscow International Film Festival, and the Winter and Mayak festivals, it's at least strange. This approach emphasizes the problems of Russian reality rather than the values ​​of Yakut cinema. In our country, it's generally accepted that quality cinema should come primarily from Moscow or St. Petersburg, not from remote regions in the Far North. "The uniqueness of Yakut cinema lies in the fact that we create films in the Yakut language, targeting a Yakut audience," said Stepan Burnashev, one of Yakutia's leading directors, in an interview with Russkiy Mir magazine. This simple and clear statement feels somewhat vulnerable: how else could such an obvious truth be expressed? Burnashev himself, who, incidentally, is self-taught, like many of his colleagues in the republic, explained his passion for directing as follows: "Our club showed Soviet, Indian, American, and Korean films. I always wanted to see something made about what was happening around me, because I saw equally captivating stories unfolding around me."

The expressions of this outstanding director, who occupies a significant place in contemporary Yakut and Russian cinema, reveal the true reasons for this admiration. In particular, in Yakutia, where there is no cinematic infrastructure left over from the Soviet Union, films continue to be made. At the same time, in the center of St. Petersburg, the famous Lenfilm has been declining for many years and changing management.

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The film "Aita" encountered a problem as a result of which its distribution certificate was revoked. This decision was caused by a number of reasons concerning the content of the film and its compliance with the established requirements for showing in cinemas. The authorities justified their actions by arguing that the film may contain elements that are inconsistent with the cultural and moral norms of society. This situation highlights the importance of adhering to criteria defining acceptable content in cinema and sparks discussions about artistic freedom and censorship in the arts.

Unique Features of Yakut Cinema

Audience analysis reveals five key characteristics of Yakut cinema that distinguish it from the "big" Russian cinema that developed in parallel during the same period.

This cinema is aimed at a wide audience, primarily viewers from Yakutia. Moreover, Yakut cinema, unlike its "big" Russian counterpart, cannot exist without a connection with the audience and has no right to be "not for everyone." It speaks to its audiences in a common language, both literally and figuratively—based on relevant themes and images, as well as national folklore and a cultural heritage that is important to preserve.

2. This cinema encompasses several genres. In 1986, Alexei Romanov's "Maappa" was released, considered the first feature film in Yakut cinema—a mystical short. That same year, "Old Toy," directed by Ruslan Vasiliev and written by Semyon Ermolaev, was released. It is a real-life drama about a man who has lost touch with his home. Arkady Novikov, one of the leading masters of Yakut cinema, specializes in folk comedies. Yakut cinema also features police detectives, thrillers, horror films, comedies for young people, and even zombie films. This diversity of genres distinguishes Yakut cinema from the "big" Russian cinema: war films, comedies, or fairy tales dominate the country's screens, while other genres are marginalized.

This is a film that strives to find its own unique language. Certainly, one can see influences from world cinema in it. For example, Nikolai Koryakin initially conceived his character "Timir" as a Yakut film inspired by the works of Taika Waititi and Wes Anderson. Why did he choose this approach? This concept helped him secure a grant of 500,000 rubles, because "no one has ever done anything like this, and we'll definitely get noticed." Nevertheless, the film he created proved distinctive and won the main prize at the Winter Film Festival in 2023. Yakut filmmakers aren't seeking to respond to Hollywood, which didn't even bother asking their opinions. This film is primarily focused on storytelling. At first glance, this seems like the primary goal of any film, but we often encounter works that skew the emphasis toward various goals—from promoting a healthy lifestyle to supporting national production. In such cases, the plot takes a backseat, overwhelmed by effects, slogans, and marketing strategies. Unfortunately, this practice is common in global cinema. Yakut cinema certainly strives to achieve its goal of conveying the culture of the Sakha people. However, the creators of this film are well aware that a poorly told story will not attract audiences.

This is a film that constantly strives for new opportunities. A lack of technology, experience, and finances are irrelevant if there is passion. Yakut cinema certainly receives some assistance from the republic's government agencies. However, firstly, this support is temporary. Secondly, if you look at the budget of any modern commercial film in Russia, it becomes obvious that the level of support is quite modest.

This last point is worth exploring in more detail. In 2010, the first film in the "Yolki" series, a New Year's film almanac, was released in Russia. The plots of this film unfolded in such cities as Kaliningrad, Perm, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, and Novosibirsk. This circumstance helped attract audiences to cinemas, since most films of that time were shot in Moscow, and St. Petersburg was mentioned only occasionally. People were eager to see not only their everyday lives but also the familiar sights of their cities on screen. Even this relatively minor regional focus proved to be an important component of the film's success and played a key role in turning the film into a long-awaited franchise. By 2010, two decades had passed in Yakut cinema since the emergence, flourishing, and gradual decline of so-called "ulus cinema"—films created in villages by amateur directors using video cameras. These films were not widely released, but they were shown on local television channels and distributed on DVD and video cassettes. Non-professional filmmakers, driven solely by enthusiasm, worked in the detective, thriller, horror, and melodrama genres, and their works resonated with audiences thanks to plots based on familiar locations, experiences, and emotions. Thus, Yakut cinema recognized two decades earlier the importance of people being interested in seeing their own reality on screen, rather than the lives of wealthy people from Rublyovka or members of the capital's middle class. Let's examine the cost issue using the films "Yolki" and "Tsar-Bird" as examples. The latter, which won the main prize at the 2018 Moscow Film Festival and an award for high artistic merit in Montreal, is particularly suitable for this analysis. While it's usually not entirely accurate to compare the budget of a blockbuster with that of an arthouse film, in this case the comparison is appropriate. For example, "Yolki Posledniye," released in 2018, cost 230 million rubles, which is approximately $3.4 million at the exchange rate of the time. Now it's worth recalling Semyon Ermolaev's words about the making of "The Tsar Bird":

Dmitry Shadrin, then managing director of Sakhafilm, suggested, "Guys, let's make a film. There's no money, so use your salaries." Edik Novikov took on the project, and soon we were off to the Moscow Film Festival. However, a problem arose: we needed to specify the film's budget, and it turned out to be quite modest. How could we write "one million rubles"? In the end, we decided to write "three million," so it would be less awkward to voice the amount. And everyone was surprised: "Three million dollars? Is that really so little?!"

Viewers were not particularly enthusiastic about "The Last Ones": reviews were generally either negative or neutral. The only competition for this film was "T-34," a heavy-hitting war drama—a rather unusual choice of genre for a holiday weekend. The developers of the final part of "Yolki" had no difficulty financing, relying on marketing forecasts and employing the tried-and-true formula of "people in various corners of Russia celebrating the New Year." As a result, their efforts earned 730 million rubles at the box office. "Tsar Bird," on the other hand, was made with a virtually zero budget, yet despite this, the film won eight awards at film festivals and received a very warm response from audiences. The creation of this film became a necessity that could not be ignored.

Possibilities of Distribution of Yakut Cinema throughout Russia

Yakut cinema, distinguished by its creativity and limited budget, exists for one key reason: the creators of this film are committed to sharing their stories. It continues to evolve as audiences thirst for better storytelling. The question arises: is it possible to apply the experience of Yakut cinema to the larger Russian film industry?

On the one hand, this seems completely incredible, since Yakutia's film industry emerged primarily thanks to the desire of local residents to enjoy films in their native language. Over the course of thirty years, the republic has developed not only the necessary infrastructure and state support system but also a vibrant community that is becoming a source of new talented directors, screenwriters, and actors. This experience cannot be extended to a larger scale.

On the other hand, the path of Yakut cinema demonstrates that there are no boundaries, and the proverb "if you can't do it, don't try" is truly wrong. Otherwise, Yakut cinema would never have emerged. Even without the skills, it's still worth trying until you achieve the desired result. Our cinematography lacks genres such as horror films, women's road movies with a positive message, high-quality fantasy and sci-fi; even in terms of makeup, we've borrowed ideas from Hollywood series. Frankly, nothing will change in this regard anytime soon. However, we can accelerate this future by mastering screenwriting, learning to film on a phone, and developing makeup skills. The modern era offers significantly more horizons than the 1990s. Cinema has lost its aura of exclusivity and has become accessible to a wider audience. It is a means of conveying compelling stories to people. And, realistically, given modern technology, this doesn't require excessive investment. The key is not to get carried away by the techniques or styles of other filmmakers, but to focus on expressing your unique perspective and creative approach. The Russian film industry, which has been around for just over three decades, is still in its infancy, so it will need both professionals and amateurs eager to make their mark.

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Top 20 Outstanding Russian Films

Six Yakut films that deserve your attention

Our list was compiled without reference to any universal standards. These films are sure to inspire, offer new ideas, make you smile, or prompt careful analysis of frame composition. It is important to note that all of them are diverse, but always high-quality works of cinematic art, each of which has its own unique merits, author's style and fascinating story.

12+

Year of release: 1993

The director of this project is Alexey Romanov.

Starring: Vladimir Kondakov, Afanasy Fyodorov and Matryona Kornilova.

Every representative of the Sakha people is immersed in the world of traditional rituals from an early age. At the birth of a new person, gratitude is expressed to the goddess Aisyt, and shamans predict the future. During the summer festival of Ysyakh, solar deities symbolizing fertility are revered. These traditions are an integral part of existence in the Middle World, known as Orto Doidu, where people and the spirits of ichchi coexist. While the upper world is the abode of Aiyy, that is, deities, the lower world is inhabited by abaakhs, or demons.

The best way to begin your acquaintance with Yakut cinema is with this documentary-fiction film. This is the first full-length film produced in the republic under the direction of Alexei Romanov, considered the founder of local cinema. The film illustrates the development of a unique Yakut phenomenon. It also opens a window into the Yakut worldview, their approach to life, and the structure of the myths that shaped their culture; it reflects their fears and sacred values. Without mastering these fundamentals, the perception of many Yakut films will be similar to reading European literature without knowledge of the Bible or ancient texts.

18+

Year of release: 2018

Director: Stepan Burnashev

Casting: Georgy Bessonov, Irina Mikhailova, Dmitry Baishev.

Buyokke and Mattee successfully organized their lives during the zombie apocalypse. They built defensive structures around their home to protect themselves from possible attacks by their neighbors in the village, which allowed them to survive this difficult time. However, their peace was short-lived—due to a rash decision, zombies from all over Yakutia began flocking to their aid. As a result, they were forced to jump into a car and flee, but soon ran out of gas. To make matters worse, a girl named Dora, who they met by chance, wounded one of their friends in the shoulder. Now they must build a barricade again, but this time around her house.

It's terrifying to imagine what Stepan Burnashev could have achieved if he'd had a little more resources, for example, for zombie makeup. Then "Republic Z" could easily have become a hit on streaming platforms and even in theaters: audiences from all over the country would have been discussing this funny yet touching travel story. However, on the other hand, the unfortunate special effects only highlight the film's strengths—such charming and genuinely appealing characters, for whom the viewer feels as if they were family. There is a clear shortage of such heroes in Russian cinema.

18+

Year of release: 2020

Director: Nikita Arzhakov.

Casting: Nurgun Bechigen, Pyotr Savvin, Vasilisa Myreeva.

At the end of the 16th century, internal conflicts rage in Yakutia. The leader of the Khangalas tribe, Tygyn Darkhan, longs to put an end to these strife and unite the Yakuts into one nation. However, achieving such an ambitious goal proves extremely difficult - not everyone is ready to give up their power and independence, which inevitably leads to violence.

The epic, created by director Nikita Arzhakov, is a unique example of expensive cinematography in Yakutia. With a budget of 225 million rubles, the film impresses with the quality of visual effects and sets, which do not give the impression of cheapness, as is often observed in Russian historical blockbusters. This cruel, bloody and large-scale work with superb choreography of crowd scenes serves as a clear example of rational use of the budget. Despite the presence Despite numerous shortcomings and the lack of the expected box office success the creators had hoped for, the project became a valuable experience for many people who had the opportunity to work on set with modern equipment. This will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the further development of the film industry in the region.

18+

Year of release: 2020

The director of this work is Dmitry Davydov.

The film stars Valentina Romanova-Chyskyyray, Anatoly Struchkov, Artur Zakharov, and Anilena Guryeva.

Scarecrow is a healer, feared and despised by all the villagers. Despite their negative attitude, they still turn to her for help: she really is able to heal ailments. However, after recovering, she seeks to numb both her own and others' pain with alcohol.

It's difficult to describe this film in detail—it must be seen to experience the same emotions as the Kinotavr jury in 2020. Dmitry Davydov, a school teacher and amateur director who has been running a film club with his students for many years, created "Scarecrow" with a budget of one and a half million rubles. His film has no sets, and the only professional actress is singer Valentina Romanova-Chyskyyray, who plays the lead role. Particular attention should be paid to the color correction: it is virtually nonexistent, as the only colorist in Yakutia was incredibly busy. As a result, Davydov shot the film in muted tones, which ultimately morphed into monochrome. This decision was made due to the lack of an alternative, and now the color palette of his films is studied as an important element of cinematic language.

18+

Year of release: 2023

The director's post is occupied by Nikolai Koryakin.

The cast includes Algis Danilov, Georgy Bessonov, Vladislav Nikanorov, and Roman Dorofeev.

Timir, a boy, experiences a difficult loss - his mother passed away. Now he must live with his father, who suffers from alcoholism, and endure bullying from children in the village. This is, to put it mildly, not the most rosy period. However, one day his fate changes when he encounters a spirit stuck between two worlds.

Director Nikolai Koryakin began his career as a video blogger, creating reviews of Yakut films. However, he soon realized that the time had come to try his hand at directing. At first, he created short films lasting one minute, then increased the length to five minutes, until he achieved the feature format with the film "Timira". This film is made in an ironic and sentimental manner, reminiscent of Waititi, and has a color palette characteristic of the works of Wes Anderson. This sweet and touching work of cinema tells us that the world is, in fact, kind, and each of us will be lucky someday: enemies can become friends, alcoholics - caring fathers, and past troubles will not disappear, but will leave behind only a bright sadness.

12+

Year of release: 2022

The director of this project is Lyubov Borisova.

The cast includes: Darius Gumauskas, Alexander Chichakhov, Vyacheslav Yugov and Elena Markova.

A Yakut named Stepan Beresekov experiences a strong fear of the possibility of being buried alive, as he often has attacks of lethargy. Only one person is able to recognize when he is in this state and not dead - this is ethnographer Ivan Popov. However, Ivan soon leaves on a long journey to lead an expedition. To avoid the worst possible outcome in Popov's absence, Stepan decides to follow him. Lyubov Borisova's film, based on real events, is practically devoid of evil characters. There's nothing negative here, and upon closer analysis, Stepan's illness turns out to be a gift—it's precisely because of it that he perceives beauty with such vividness, intensity, and precision that an ordinary person would be unlikely to achieve. Only a blessed one. Accompanied by Popov, they explore the vastness of Yakutia, capturing its wonders, and it's reminiscent of a road movie set in paradise. Everything around seems to be shrouded in light, a golden glow, so it is difficult to understand whether the heroes are really continuing their journey on earth.

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