Alexei and Vassili are Komi, one of the most ancient indigenous people of Siberia. They live with their wives and children close to the Arctic Circle and are the last reindeer herders of this region. All the other Komi have abandoned this highly archaic and exhausting life style.
Every autumn, in order to feed their animals, they cross the Urals into Asia to escape the intense Siberian winters, returning by the same route in the spring for the more temperate summers in the north. The four-month trip is long and perilous for these families and their 5,000 reindeer.
The director and his crew spent one year living among these families and following them during the two major annual migrations. They captured an authentic portrayal of this impressive, harsh existence that is in perfect symbiosis with nature, the rhythm of the animals and the Arctic climate.
Documentary: Komi, a journey across the arctic (2007)
Directed by: Andreas Voigt
Production: Seppia Films et Barbara Etz Filmproduktion
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