← Back to explore

Happy People: A Year in the Taiga

2010 · Movie · NR · 94 min

7.3(141)unSUB Rating

Documentary

The film follows the everyday life of people in the Siberian Taiga village of Bakhtia by the Yenisei River across one year. Routines shaped by long-standing cultural traditions continue through the seasons as they trap, hunt, and prepare for winter with little outside contact.

Also known as Happy People - A Year in the Taiga

Where to watch

Watch free on Tubi — also streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Curiosity Stream and Fandor.

2 hours to watch.

Streaming availability and prices may be inaccurate or change — verify with the provider before subscribing.

unSUB's subscription recommendations are informational only, not financial advice.

unSUB does not host or stream any content. Every link above goes to a licensed provider.

More value for your money

Similar titles, ranked by watch-hours per subscription dollar.

Details
Years
2010
Release date
2010-09-03
Language
English
Rated
NR
Runtime
94 min
Max quality
HD
TMDB rating (input)
7.3/10 (141 votes)
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a year-in-the-wilderness documentary like Cave of Forgotten Dreams or Into the Abyss, with a calm, immersive pace and harsh-season realism; Not for you if you need lots of city comforts or clear answers about happiness, or if you want a broader focus beyond a few trappers.

Pros: breathtaking Taiga landscapes; absorbing slow pace; deep survival routines | Cons: limited village variety; not always portrayed happy; some philosophical narration

Themes

  • remoteness
  • wilderness
  • based on true story
  • snow
  • dog sled
  • siberia

Cast & crew

  • Werner Herzog

    Werner Herzog

    as Narrator (voice)

  • GS

    Gennady Soloviev

    as Self - Trapper #1

  • AB

    Anatoly Blumei

    as Self - Trapper #2

  • GT

    Gennady Tiganov

    as Self - Native Boat Builder

  • MT

    Mikhail Tarkovsky

    as Self - Trapper #3

Directed by Werner Herzog, Dmitry Vasyukov