Based on Sylvain Tesson's autobiographical book, Dans les forêts de Siberie (In the Siberian woods) tells the story of a man who decided to leave civilization behind and to live as an ermit in a little cabin by the Lake Baïkal. Even though the film is not truly faithful to the book, both the breath-taking landscapes and Ibrahim Maalouf's magnificent jazz offer us an exquisite experience. Moreover, the bright photography as well as the poetical shots point out the bright side of solitude, lived as a real rebirth. We witness the struggle of an isolated man against nature's mood swings and we understand that the real beauty of nature is that it cannot be tamed. Furthermore, the meeting with a Russian man gives the film a new dimension: the friendship between the two opposite men is a gift for our senses. Finally, Raphaël Personnaz' stunning performance enhance the experience (maybe because he had already read and loved Tesson's book ?) and that proves, in his own words, that « the possibility of running away exists.
Review of In the Forests of Siberia
