Set in the far north of Russia’s Sakha Republic in a stark landscape of blinding white snow, Ága offers an evocative visualization of a way of life that may soon no longer exist. This magnificently shot film focuses on a long-married Yakut couple, Nanook and Sedna, and their subsistence lifestyle, in a yurt far from the nearest city. While they continue the traditional practices of their ancestors, the encroachment of globalization elsewhere has made their life harder. Spring seems to come earlier every year, reindeer are no longer in abundance and hunting brings only slim pickings. There are no nearby neighbors, only a kind soul who visits occasionally to bring news. Most young people, including their own daughter, Ága, chose a different way of life. When Sedna falls ill, Nanook departs to honor her wish and find their daughter.

Winner: Best Director, Valladolid; Best Feature, Fajr; Best Feature, Sarajevo; Best Feature, Cairo

In competition for the FIPRESCI Prize