Sibir. Monamur

It's lovely movie,

Siberia. Late autumn. In taiga.

In the deserted village there lives an old man Ivan & his seven-year-old grandson Leshia. A pack of feral dogs devours everything alive in the neighborhood. One of these dogs is Leshia's best friend. Sometimes their relative uncle Yuri brings food to them. Once on his way back from Ivan's village uncle Yuri is attacked by dogs & perishes. Ivan & Leshia stay without supply. Once Leshia witnesses Ivan shooting at 'his' dog & runs away. The old Man finds him in a dry well, but he fails to get him out on his own. Ivan sets out through taiga in search of help. Now the dogs are hunting him... And the boy is waiting for his father...

Actually, I have registered here just to write a review for this film.

This film will really burst your heart.

The story is simple: an old man and his grandson (ab. 6-7 y.o.) live in the midst Siberia taiga. They wait for the old man's son (grandson's father) who disappeared several years ago. A horde of feral dogs devour all the living beings around. But the boy has a dog-friend from this horde.

The film is about what does it mean to be a human, about kindness, about God in our hearts. The movie is not easy and light, it makes you cry. And it is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Actually, I watch it twice, the second time in the next day after the first.

it is a film for who the review is haunting of wind. because it is out of words. picture of an universe, cruel, touching, pure state of facts, it is a form of pray. this is cause for who, for me, the scene of paper icon is the best. a world in search of sense. desire / need/ search of God. in the heart of taiga. and His presence. in presence of young prostitute. in the young soldier. in the letter to father. in the grandfather as keeper of measure. a Russian film like a conquest. as lines of a battle.it is not an exception, many movies from East are exercises for self definition. in this case, like in Ostrov or Tsar, in Angel Tunnel , the problem, the central quest is this feeling who gives sense of life. the answer - miracle. in old Dostoyevsky manner - redemption. fall of sin. honest image of circle who has you as part. bitter, cruel, sad, full of extraordinary beauty. a film. about God.

I talked to my American friends before watching and all of them warned me that this is a "heavy" movie. Guess what, it was like I just went home. Real. It was true in every detail. Brutal. Exposing. Poisonous. Nauseating. Yes. And true. Superb work by Slava Ross worthy of Oscar nomination. I think that the strongest lines were: Grandpa, Lyosha, the Captain and Anna, aside from Fang the dog. There was only a single overreach - I do not remember drinking vodka for breakfast. Otherwise - the film was captivating and honest. I feel that sometimes watching the endless line of all-goody-goody movies kills our ability to perceive reality, which is far from nice and fluffy. Soviet system kills the most important thing in every man - his ability to respect himself. That is what the Grandpa in the movie is running from and so do we...

I lived in Siberia between 1963 and 1973 and I can testify that the film is as true to the reality of life there as it gets.