juan_palmero2010

The film takes place in a village in Sakha (Yakutia), in the Siberian far east, and it is spoken mostly in the Yakut language.

The central caracter is a lonely female witch-doctor (a kind of shaman woman) who is feared, misunderstood and maltreated by most of the villagers, young and old alike. Her behaviour does not conform to the accepted standards. However, when problems arise and accidents happen, the villagers resort to her, often paying in kind by buying her food and vodka. After which they go back to ostracising her.

Her shamanic healing practice, accompanied by strange rituals, takes a toll on the woman's vital energy. Every time she helps someone she is seen vomiting and feeling unwell afterwards. She is aware of this, and often tries to refuse, but mostly gives in. She abuses the vodka she receives to go into some lonely stupor and dance. There are also hints about some important personal loss in the past which haunts her.

Beautifully filmed (we are told that in early winter, when the really harsh cold is still to come) with some unusual camera angles. An interesting psychological study, both of the main character as well as of the people who use her and abuse her. The acting by Valentina Romanova-Chyskyyray is powerful, courageous, very impressive.

Renowned Moscow opera diva Lyubov Pavlolvna is moving for good to Germany. Just before leaving, she goes on a nostalgic trip with her despondent son Andrey to her almost forgotten birthplace, Yurev, behaving and feeling like a tourist. While visiting the local kremlin, Andrey disappears. Lyubov starts a desperate and fruitless search for her son, after which she decides to stay in the town to wait for her son's return.

In just a few days, Lyubov suffers a painful transformation, eventually finding a common denominator with the locals, whose lives are so different to the glamorous life she has led in the capital.

The film shows the contrast between Lyubov's former world and some provincial Russia outside Moscow (and St. Petersburg and a few other major cities), where life is shown as cold, grim, poor, rude. But perhaps that "lower" life is also good enough, worth living for. And thus life leads Lyubov back to the starting point she had run away from many years earlier.

Not an easy film to watch, but one that I ultimately found rewarding. Despite a few questions about the logic behind certain elements.

Kseniya Rappoport's acting is outstanding, mesmerising. So much talent. She carries the film on her own.

An old Russian man wakes up on a beach in Thailand. He does not know where he is, he can't remember his past, he can't even remember his own name. He has no money, not even a pair of shoes, and does not speak a word of Thai. He only has his wits to slowly find his way and reinvent himself in this unknown world.

From the initial intriguing questions, the film moves on to making us smile with the various adventures the main character, who turns out to be quite cheeky and resourceful, manages to get himself into. There are references to the Russian mafia and to the local Thai mafia, a bunch of bandits who turn out to be quite likeable after all. As it should be in a comedy film. Thailand is depicted with a few cliches here and there, but overall with nice touches reflecting some knowledge and feeling for the country. Including how Thailand magically softens some bitter characters.

The cinematography is quite pleasant, giving a good idea of what a Thai island is about. The acting by the main characters is very convincing.

A light and optimistic film, living up to its title (Happy End). It may not stay in your memory forever, but certainly worth watching.