Sakhawood

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is one of the most remote regions from the center of Russia. The region is known for mineral deposits and extremely low temperatures -60 Celsius degrees below zero. However, Yakutia is famous not only for the severe climate and gold which is mined here, but also for the cinema. Yakut films participate in international festivals in Europe and Asia, receive awards, which are already more than 80. Yakut Hollywood is called “Sakhawood”.

People with different experiences are engaged in filmmaking. Most directors have no special education, for some of them directing is not the main way to earn money. Actors are people who work in the theater, or people who have never acted in a movie before. About 7-10 feature length films are shot here per year, from romantic comedies to fairy tales, based on local legends and beliefs. Sometimes Yakut movies have better box office than world blockbusters. Meanwhile, the movie in Yakutia is shot for little money even by the most modest Russian standards, on average, the production of the film costs 1-2 million rubles. Despite this, the Yakut filmmakers have ambitious plans - to win the audience in Russia, and then in the world.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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The shooting of the first in the history of Yakut fairy tale film based on the Yakut folk tale "The Old Beyberikeen With Five Cows."

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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An actress of the Sakha theater Isabella Nikolaeva in the dormitory is preparing to be shot in the historical comedy "Hasty" based on the classic drama of the same name Yakut writer Nikolai Neustroev.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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Twins Semyon and Stepan starred in the fairy tale "The Old Beyberikeen" in the roles of mythical creatures living in the swamps – dulgancha.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Shooting drama of Stepan Burnashev "Khara Khaar" ("Black Snow").
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Shooting drama of Stepan Burnashev "Khara Khaar" ("Black Snow").

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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The director of the drama "Khara Khaar" ("Black Snow") Stepan Burnashev (on the right) rehearses the upcoming scene with the performer of the main role in the film Fedot Lvov (on the left).

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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Winters in Yakutia are long, the snow here does not melt for 5-6 months. For majority residents of the capital, Yakutsk, one of the favorite leisure activities is a visiting of the cinema in such a harsh period of a year.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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Stepan Petrov, 74 years old, became celebrity not only in Yakutia, but also in Russia after starring in two yakut films 'The Lord Eagle' (2018) and 'The Sun Does Not Set Over Me' (2019).

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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Stepan (on the left) drinks cognac at home with screenwriter Semyon Ermolaev (on the middle) and Eduard Novikov (on the right), the creators of the feature film "The Lord Eagle".

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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An artist of the Theater of Young spectators Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Vladimir Okhlopkov, who played the role of a police officer in the horror film "The Cursed Land" directed by Stepan Burnashev, poses in the small cinema theater "Lena", Yakutsk. In the capital of Yakutia with a population of just over 300 thousand people, there are 6 cinemas, which regularly show Yakut cinema.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Actor in the film Vasily Sleptsov is vaping during breaks between takes.
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Actor in the film Vasily Sleptsov is vaping during breaks between takes.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Image from the Sakhawood photography project
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An actress of the Sakha theater Nyurguyana Shadrina is in the role of an old woman in the historical comedy "Hasty" based on the classic drama of the same name Yakut writer Nikolai Neustroev.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Shooting melee of the main positive characters in fairy tale "The Old Beyberikeen" with the abaahy evil spirit.
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Shooting melee of the main positive characters in fairy tale "The Old Beyberikeen" with the abaahy evil spirit.

© Alexey Vasilyev - A young couple Ivan and Inna are watching TV at home.
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A young couple Ivan and Inna are watching TV at home.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Shooting sports drama "Djuluur".
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Shooting sports drama "Djuluur".

© Alexey Vasilyev - The crew is resting after a shift at the base, in the building of the club Magaras village, Gornyi ulus.
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The crew is resting after a shift at the base, in the building of the club Magaras village, Gornyi ulus.

© Alexey Vasilyev - A bed on the lake. From the main character dream scene of the mystical drama "The Cursed Land".
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A bed on the lake. From the main character dream scene of the mystical drama "The Cursed Land".

© Alexey Vasilyev - Violetta Khristoforova in the main role of the mystical drama "The Cursed Land".
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Violetta Khristoforova in the main role of the mystical drama "The Cursed Land".

© Alexey Vasilyev - mask of Abaahy on the shooting of the film "The Old Beyberikeen". Abaahy is an evil spirit in Yakut mythology.
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mask of Abaahy on the shooting of the film "The Old Beyberikeen". Abaahy is an evil spirit in Yakut mythology.

© Alexey Vasilyev - The shooting of mystical drama "The Cursed Land". In the photo-Afanasy Karamzin.
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The shooting of mystical drama "The Cursed Land". In the photo-Afanasy Karamzin.

© Alexey Vasilyev - Group photo of residents of the Magarasy village, who participated in the crowd in the mystical drama "The Cursed Land".
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Group photo of residents of the Magarasy village, who participated in the crowd in the mystical drama "The Cursed Land".

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