13, 14, 15

Summer in Siberia. During a few short months, the vast, bleak expanses of snow and depressing darkness make way for cheerful greenery and soft light: lots of soft light. Somewhere, in the middle of nowhere, there is a cluster of wooden houses, linked to the outside world only by a dirt road. Everyday, repetitive actions shape the lives of the young Russians who live here. Chopping wood, lighting the stove, swimming in the river, doing errands with a horse and cart, eating together. The visual language employed by German director Claudius Beutler matches the archaic nature of this rural, outdoor life. 13, 14, 15 subtly copies the style of silent films from the earliest years of film history. Boys and girls acting silly, the axe cleaving through wood, driving wild horses -- we see it all, but we don't hear any of it. The seemingly essential information we miss out on through the lack of ambient sound is made up for by lyrical piano music, which emphasizes the cyclical nature of life in rural Siberia through repeated rhythmic patterns and melodies. Backbreaking work, healthy meals, and lots of sports and play. Simple and traditional, and close to Mother Nature: this is the pure life. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)