He is Surviving SIBERIA

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming this week to DVD from writer/director Abel Ferrara, Christ Zois and Lionsgate Home Entertainment comes a man’s journey in SIBERIA.

Clint (Willem Dafoe) is a man struggling with his life in a place that very few people would find themselves in. Running a sort of tavern store, Clint comes into contact with the locals who he does not quite understand in language but sort of does in the harshness of the wilderness around them.

Telling the story himself, Clint gives an overview of his life up until that point being a boy moving to Canada with his father and learning about the Inuits who frequent the establishment. The arrival of two Russian women is where the break between fantasy and reality cause him to break. Dealing with his demons is someone he recognizes and that would be himself and it is harsh.

The massive depression leads him to load up his sled and dogs to go out into the unknown. Knowing things are getting gravely heavy, Clint discovers a cave where he must come to terms with everything about his life – the good, the bad and the tragic. His father and ex-wife are not going to let him get away without having their say.

What is real and what is a wish is for us to decide.

Dafoe as Clint carries this film from start to finish. There are scenes that are so intense, yet Dafoe carries that emotion as far as he can to just before the tension snaps and eases off to give us a moment to take in the next emotion. It is clear within the first 10 minutes that SIBERIA is going to take us someplace we have never been before, and Dafoe is our guide, and we cannot stop ourselves from following. Well done sir!

Other cast include Dounia Sichov as his wife, Simon McBurney as the magician, Daniel Gimenez Cacho as the doctor, Fabio Pagano as the monk, Phil Neilson as the Woodsman, Cristina Chiriac as the Russian woman, Anna Ferrara as Clint’s son and Laurent Arnatsiaq as the Eskimo.

Lionsgate is a global leader in motion picture production and distribution for theatres, television, home entertainment and more. Theatre franchises include THE HUNGER GAMES, and DIVERGENT along with JOHN WICK. Now, adding this film to its 16,000-motion picture and television titles you can see everything coming soon as well as available now at http://www.lionsgate.com.

Dafoe literally carries the film from start to finish as each of the cast brings him into a deeper and deeper realization that he can no longer hide from his life. As much as we might not truly be allowed into the meaning of his journey, it is not difficult to understand that the tragedy and life traumas that would bring the character of Clint to this point.

The amazing choice of locations adds to the uncertainty of what Clint is going through. In the wilderness you can only hide emotions and realities for so long before the past arrives howling on the wind and knocking down the door.

Each hallucination brings the question of ‘is this real?’ then you realize that Dafoe’s character is asking the same question. After some time, it is easy to jump onto the sled because I had to see where Clint was going, and would he survive this obvious pain he was going through. That’s what Dafoe brings to this character.

It is clear that director Ferrara is asking a lot of the viewer because he does not stop for any explanation but instead gives us the ‘wait, there’s more’. It actually becomes quite difficult to break the story down while the story is still happening but let me tell you, once the film is over there will be plenty to discuss.

In the end – this is a journey with an emotional destination!