Currently, the Sakha Republic has cultivated a solid foundation of established cinematography teams and films spanning various genres. Unlike in much of Russia, not all young talents move to Moscow or St. Petersburg to study: one can master cinema and enter the industry directly in Yakutsk. It’s no coincidence that the programme includes works by three debutants—Vladimir Kocharyan, Evgeny Nikolayev, and Nikolay Koryakin (Aidyn Ate) — who belong to a generation of directors that matured during the heyday of the “Yakut new wave,” inspired by masters like Dmitry Davydov and Alexey Romanov.

Many young filmmakers choose to make independent films rather than working for prominent local production companies. One such example is the enigmatic noir Cuckoo, which developed from a very successful short film.

Yakutia: Between the Worlds is the first documentary dedicated to the cinematography of the Republic of Sakha. Together with director Vladimir Kocharyan, we embark on a journey through Yakutia, speaking with film industry workers who witnessed the birth of the local industry. As he travels through his homeland, the filmmaker reflects on what Yakutia means to him.

In recent years, two clear trends have emerged in Yakut live-action films: stories about children and those based on real events. In the comedy Timir, the authors nostalgically recreate their childhood, painting their memories with a color palette reminiscent of Wes Anderson.

The demand for based-on-a-true-story films is, once again, connected with the audience’s desire to learn more about themselves and the Sakha people. For instance, Where the Cranes Dance by Mikhail Lukachevsky, based on the biography of a renowned Yakut ornithologist, is one of the most successful films in Yakut cinematic history. Released in April of this year, it continues to sell out theaters in Yakutsk.

Yakut audiences differ significantly from those in major cities: screenings are filled with laughter and tears, while in the capitals, audiences tend to be more spoiled, reserved, and harder to impress. For Yakutia’s viewers, native cinema is deeply personal—it mirrors their lives, with characters who may be familiar, whether as acquaintances, relatives, or neighbors.

This programme offers us, the audience in major cities, a chance to gain firsthand insight into the Sakha Republic from those for whom Yakut cinema is a part of everyday life. The new records set and the young authors emerging in this decade are the result of three decades of tireless work by the burgeoning Yakut film industry. Rooted in the “here and now,” it maintains close contact with its audience, for whom cinema serves as a tool for self-discovery.

Alina Timofeeva,
Programme Curator