Tomsk Studio "VISAN" is compiling collection of photo-, film-, video-materials and documents about historical and cultural traditions of Siberian indigenous population, has founded a new program "Encyclopaedia of Siberia" with a focus on complex reflection of the social phenomenon taking place in Siberia.

For the period of its existence the film studio accumulated an impressive potential of knowledge and visual materials. It produced more than 40 films devoted to the culture of minorities and the life of large cities, ecology and study of local lore and to the lives of Siberians. Several photo-albums have been made and currently the studio is working on the producing the multimedia program.

The "VISAN" Studio pioneered of a considerable information which was out of access either for the public and specialists studying minority cultures. Friendly relations of the film-makers with indigenous population- Khanty, Mansi, Selkups, Teleut, Kalmaki, Shortsy are of great value.

Within the program " Encyclopaedia of Siberia" in Summer 1997 VISAN carried out an expedition along Malyi Yugan, place of location of numerous historical and sacred places of Khanty-one of the minorities of Western Siberia.

In the course of field-work the members of the expedition covered all the territory of Malyi Yugan- more than 500 km. The unique material was collected, registered all Khanty settlements and sacred places and carried a visual census of Khanty population. New acquaintances were established and the group received an invitation to "spirits house-warming"- ritual holiday, connected with the transfer of spirits-deities to a new place.

1. "The tree of life". 12 min., colour, 1989.

Authors: Mihalev A.N.- producer, operator; Kulemsin V. M., senior research worker Tomsk State University-scientific consultant.

In the film an attempt to tell about one day of life in Khanty settlement was made. The film is accompanied by legend-song about the origin of this settlement on the bank of the Yugan-river. It tells that long before people there appeared spirits-daughters Pugos-Anki, the legend depicts their travelling along Siberian rivers from head of the Vakh-river, where their mother lives.

2. " Evut-Iki". 38 min., colour, 1990.

Authors: Mihalev A.N.- producer, operator; Shubin V.V. -assistant operator.

Evut-Iki is an old man- one of the most honoured Khanty spirit of the upper world. This is a spirit-warrior and his full name is a seven-face sacred old man.

The film represents visiting of the sacred place- spirit’s dwelling, timed to the birth of a child in the settlement. The accent in the film is given to the preparation of the visit: sewing of sacred saka (dressing-gown), choice of the presents.

3. "Teleut marriage ceremony". 40 min., colour, 1992.

Authors: Mihalev A.N. -producer, operator; Shubin V.V. -sound producer; Batjanova E.P.-author of the text.

Settlement Bekovo of Kemerovo region- is one of few places of Teleut settlements. The film tells about marriage ceremony in one of the families, keeping to traditional way of life. It is interesting to see coexistence of traditional and national with modern innovations - registration office, wedding costumes.

4. " Khanty Oblasok" 16 min., colour, 1992.

Authors: Mihalev A.N.- producer, operator; Kulemsin V.M., Ph.d., senior research worker Tomsk State University- author of the text.

Oblasok -is a traditional gouged Khanty boat. Its production is a very laborious process. The film tells about the making of the boat from aspen, the most widely spread material. Different stages of work are represented in the film, including stretching of Oblasok.

5. " Fishing and Hunting". 38 min., colour, 1993.

Authors: Mihalev A.N.- producer, operator; Kulemsin V.M., Ph.d., senior research worker Tomsk State University- science consultant.

The film is about the most typical ways of spring fishing of western Khanty group in Nizhnevartovsk area. Besides, the film represents traditional but almost lost way of fishing using wooden fish-hook. Different ways of preserving and cooking fish dishes both for people and domestic animals are also reflected in the film.

6. " Old men". 28 min., colour, 1993.

Authors: Mihalev A.N.- producer, operator; Kulemsin V.M., Phd, senior research worker Tomsk State University- science consultant, author of the text.

This is the first film of the series telling about old people, keeping to traditional way of life even now in the time of coexistence of traditional culture and intensive industrialisation of Siberia.

The film depicts a patriarchal family, with traditional kind of activity - fishing, hunting, cooking, making utensils and getting food supplies.

Second part of the film is devoted to personal spirits - protectors of one inhabitant of the settlement in Nizhnevartovsk area - Nenets man.

7. " Shoria. Winter."24 min., colour, 1992.

Authors: Mihalev A.N.- producer, operator; Shubin V.V.- assistant operator.

Mountainous Shoria, Ust-Anzas settlement and its surroundings. Beautiful nature, indigenous people - Shortsy, keeping to the traditional way of life. Kitchen utensils, traditional way of hunting, domestic animals...

8. "The Lower Az". 16 min., colour, 1994.

Authors: Mihalev A. N. - producer, operator; Lukina N.V. - science consultant.

The film shot in the lower reaches of the Ob river (lower Salekhard) more than 10 years ago, tells about life of one small settlement. People of this settlement dressed in national clothes make this film, shot late autumn, very picturesque. The film depicts school classes on amateur folk arts, beads fancy work. Uniqueness of the settlement is in unusual mix of nationalities - Khanty, Mansi, Komi, Russians. Not far from the settlement there are three cemeteries with typically national peculiarities.
 
 

Site designed: 11 June, 1999

by Andrei Filtchenko - OSI IPF 1999-2000 fellow.