Happy People: Seriously, Werner?

I recently watched the documentary Happy People: A Year in the Taiga by filmographer Werner Herzog and Russian co-director Dmitry Vasyukov. These "happy" people live in Siberia (need I go on?- SIBERIA- the land of cold and bleak where the Russians send their criminals) in a remote village of 300 people. You can only get in by helicopter or when the river isn't frozen, (like for 3 weeks of the year) by boat. They live without running water, phones, pez dispensers, and minor things like medical attention and proper education. Why are these  'happy" people there you ask.. oh ya they were sent there by the Russian government in the 70s and guess what they can't get out! (too poor for the helicopter or boat ride, so sorry you have to stay).

They live in abject poverty, in a harsh, barren, wild and (ok I'll give them) scenically beautiful environment. We follow the industrious inhabitants- mostly the guys, through one year of their "happy" lives. We start in the spring- (think winter) where the main dude shows us what he can do with an axe and the answer is- ANYTHING.  (He should really try to build a helicopter, I think). He is a awesome craftsman and can plank a tree in straight boards with his axe (these, to make skis by hand with moose fur on the bottom for slide-ability, true story).

Then comes summer and you the viewer are happy because you think "great- some relief from the hideous cold" and that part is true but guess what- they are plagued and I mean plagued head to toe by mosquitos- do you mind! These guys can not catch a break. Yes it's light for 20 hours of the day & the vegetables are ginormous but again summer only lasts 3 weeks and then boom you are into fall, (again, think winter).

So in the fall they have to get ready for winter (they like to pretend that they are not already in winter), getting the traps in gear, repairing their hand-made log hovels so the bears can't get at them, fishing for themselves and their beloved dogs- you know the normal back to school stuff we all do. The hunters go off in the winter to hunt and trap for several months with only their dogs for companions.  I wrote to my brother who is an outdoorsy type of guy and asked him if he had seen the movie and told him he might like a year in Taiga  (like actually living there as a sort of insane experiment) and mentioned the great dogs because he is a lover of these types of dogs and he wrote me back and said 'AND GREAT FISH' (he had seen the movie),which is right- they catch pike the size of small apartments.

 One scene shows the bakers baking the bread the hunters and dogs (the dogs are always included, apparently these "happy" dogs eat bread as a thing) will need for their long winter away hunting and trapping and SPOILER ALERT and when they go off, the bakers kiss the hunter /trappers goodbye. I was like "say those baker dudes are really friendly with those hunter dudes-" but I thought ok like in prison (which really this place is) you takes what you can get.  I'm cool with that. Then Mr. Lovely clued me in that those baker dudes were their wives (not dudes at all but women). OOOPS.  I now get the hunter guys going off with just their dogs- makes sense.

It is fascinating and visually splendid and although I admire Werner on account of he produces great films (loved his compassion for the underbelly of America society in Into the Abyss), I gotta think he's trying too hard to paint a lovely picture of these noble people who live by the land and are "happy" with their lot.  I think they are self sufficient to the max, extremely capable, simple, rugged and well, resigned to their lives. They don't even drink booze which is also very commendable.  I think Werner based the title on one scene where a trapper was sitting by the fire, in the snow, with his dog and mused  "Ah, this is the life - nothing like settling down with a nice cup of tea." At least that is what the translator said he said but who knows he is probably saying  " I hate my &%$#^%&^ life and wish I could build a helicopter with my axe!" It's a good watch and I highly recommend it.