Ága (2018)Director: Milko LazarovStarring: Mikhail Aprosimov, Feodosia Ivanova, Sergey Egorov, Galina Tikhonova and Afanasiy KylaevRating: ★★★★½

FILM REVIEW
by MILLARAY PACHECO-PIZZARO

Bulgarian filmmaker Milko Lazarov’s Ága speaks directly to the issue of climate change in a personal way you haven’t seen on screen before.

The film follows the experience of an ageing Yakut (indigenous group of the Sakha Republic) couple living in a remote yurt among icy plains and tundra in north-eastern Siberia.

Husband and wife Nanook (Mikhail Aprosimov) and Sedna (Feodosia Ivanova) live a life traditional to their disappearing ethnic group.

Other than occasional visits from their son, the couple live disconnected from civilisation as they are the last  people from their ethnic group.

Their story is told slowly, with periods of stillness and isolated natural sounds that immerse  the viewer in the atmosphere of their lives.

Ága compels you to engage in small moments of sincerity in the words spoken, allowing you to connect with the characters.

From sunrise to sunset, we follow Nanook as he goes hunting, fishing and carving ice, and we watch as Sedna maintains their home.

The effect of the modern world on their lives is shown as planes and helicopters flying  overhead while native animals die, conveying a sense of conflict with nature that disturbs the audience.

The couple discuss the unusual seasons and the rapid melting of the ice as the world they once knew changes and withers around them.

Although  life becomes harder, the couple hold on to the art of storytelling and sharing dreams and legends.

As their story unfolds, you learn about the absence of their daughter Ága (Galina Tikhonova), whom they haven’t seen in years.

The exact reason for the feud is hidden, but once Sedna’s health begins to deteriorate the longing to see her daughter overrides the bitterness she feels for the past.

Nanook thus embarks on a journey to fulfil his wife’s wishes to resolve the issues with their daughter.

This film is a unique, visual experience that leaves the audience thinking about their own care for cultural and environmental diversity.

Despite being a fictional story, it confronts real issues and encourages viewers to consider the impact of climate change from a new perspective.

Ága, which screened during MIFF,  is highly recommended for anyone interested in climate change and for those who simply want something different from the typical fare.