Mees, kes teadis ussisõnu by Andrus Kivirähk

The kratt is a bizarre construct, cobbled together out of bones and commonplace objects, more like a crude robot than the average fairy godmother. They hoard communion wafers to use as bullets to bring down scarce game, but they also deal with the devil, bargaining with their blood for souls to create a kratt which will fetch and carry for them. The villagers are greedy, acquisitive and selfish but we admire their resourcefulness in the face of overwhelming hardship and share their relief as they celebrate each victory over death.įor the serfs of “November” magic, like religion is simply another survival tool. Sarnet never sentimentalizes the villagers and is forthright in his description of the petty cruelties of village life. Their response to the coming of plague is as sobering and ridiculous as the ‘duck and cover’ propaganda of the Cold War. Amidst the misery there are also moments of joy and bleak humour as we watch them trick their way out of a sequence of seemingly hopeless situations. They live by their wits, reliant on trickery and dodgy deals. Lacking the basic protection of modern medicine, the villagers subsist on bats, “willow bark and slush”. The serfs of “November” endure an endless round of desperate transactions to feed themselves and keep a roof over their heads. Their master, the ancient German Baron (Dieter Laser) is too frail to act the tyrant and does his best to ignore his charges whilst his surly and opportunistic servants pilfer whatever they can and test the limits of social deference.

The villagers who scratch a living in this frozen world are serfs, despite legislation to end serfdom it persisted in Estonia into the nineteenth century. It flies like a macabre delivery drone over a beautiful but unforgiving landscape that appears as inimical to human life as a distant planet. A skeletal creature seizes a calf and carries it aloft. “November” transports us to a world that seems, at first sight, utterly alien. As their village struggles to survive plague and hunger Liina and Hans seek a magical cure for their unrequited desires. In nineteenth century Estonia Liina (Rea Lest) is in love with Hans (Jörgen Liik) whilst he dotes on the unattainable Baroness (Jette Loona Hermanis). Directed by Rainer Sarnet, 2017, 115 minutes.

Mees, kes teadis ussisõnu by Andrus Kivirähk