FAR NORTH

UK, 2007, 88 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Yeoh, Sean Bean, Michelle Krusiec.
Directed by Asif Kapadia.

Beautiful to look at, Norway locations standing in for what seems like Arctic territory in the East, this film enables its audience to experience the frozen north in close-up and vista long shots, as if they were really there.

The plot, mostly without dialogue and moving at what might be called a 'contemplative' pace, enabling the audience to observe the three central characters without rush and have time to reflect on the way of life, the interactions and the effect of living in remote, isolated and physically gruelling environment.

The focus is on Saiva (Michelle Yeoh at her most dignified), a middle aged woman who tells us almost immediately that she was pronounced 'cursed' by a shaman. When some flashbacks later tell us her story, we realise that the curse was fulfilled and she is a bitter woman with an inner rage (something like the icebergs and their tips that we frequently see).

The second character is Anya (Michelle Krusiek), a younger woman whom we presume is Saiva's daughter. They wander alone through the ice and floes, across the sea to the pebbled tundra shore, surviving on any meat available and that they can catch, dog, walrus, deer. The bond between the two women is strong.

The third character is Loki (Sean Bean) whom Saiva finds wounded and exhausted on the pebbles. He explains that he is a refugee from the military (whom we have seen early in the film as Saiva and Anya sail pass their barracks and the workers on a rail line).

Clearly, this gathering of three characters leads one to expect some personal and sexual tensions, archetypal characters and myths. What follows is partly what we anticipate but, ultimately, not what we might have thought. Tragedy with more than a touch of the macabre is in the air.

Director Asif Kapadia made the well-received The Warrior (2001) with a lone hero being pursued in exotic landscapes. Clearly, he is fascinated with what isolation will mean to people as well as a context of violence. The screenplay has been adapted from a story by Sarah Maitland.

1.The aim of the film, drama, geographical experience, sociological world, moral fable? Myth?

2.The locations, Norway standing in for the Arctic? The land, mountains, ice, ice floes, icebergs, the tundra, the pebble beach? The quality of the photography?

3.The atmosphere, the seasons, light, colour, dark? The Aurora Borealis? The musical score?

4.The action – isolated, tragic, macabre? Saiva and her focus, her life, isolated, with Anya, the need for food, her manner in killing the dog, the meal, the seasons, going in the boat, passing the ice, the icebergs, going past the military establishment, the men working on the rails? The sea, the tundra, settling on the pebbles, the tent, the comforts and lack of comforts? Stalking the walrus and finding food?

5.The flashbacks, the shaman calling her cursed? The place of the important flashback later in the film? The revelation about Anya? Saiva and the Indian, his help? The flashback to the soldiers, her approaching the tent, finding the family massacred? The soldiers’ attack, the rape? Her rescuing the baby? Leading the soldiers, letting them fall over the cliff, letting go, taking the emblem?

6.Finding Loki, her suspicions, his weakness, his need for help, taking him to the tent, restoring his health? His helping them, fixing the motor and the boat, stalking the deer and killing it, providing food? Sharing their way of life? Saiva’s response? Anya’s response?

7.Anya and her love for Loki, Saiva and her response? Saiva permitting Anya to fall in love?

8.The plan, the packing, Anya telling Saiva that they were going, wanting to have a different kind of life, a family?

9.Saiva plaiting Anya’s hair and then killing her? Taking her skin for a mask?

10.Masks in the Nordic myths and legends? Identity? Her substituting herself? Loki, his return, his horror at the discovery of what had happened, racing naked into the snow and lost?

11.Saiva as a bitter woman, cursed?

12.The overall effect of experiencing these three archetypal characters, their situations, the environment and the isolation, the tragedy and the violent effect?