Munkha is eleven minutes of pure, wonderful sweetness. Director Alexander Moruo has crafted a gorgeous animation that shows us the magic of support within a community.

In the snowy heart of Yakutia, a little girl named Nyukku excitedly embarks on her first traditional fishing journey, known as a munkha, with her family and her “magical” mittens.

It cannot be overstated how a film set in the freezing cold of winter in Yakutia can somehow feel so warm and comfy. Yet, Munkha achieves that; this is a loving, gentle cuddle of a film. There is just so much to love about this simple tale of a girl going on her first munkha with her father and brother and learning the values of caring for one’s community.

Writers Nikolay Syromiantnikov and Tatiana Ushnitskaya have us fall head over heels in love with little Nyukku while also incorporating enough traditional Yakut touches. Traditions such as the “Feeding the Earth” ceremony are observed before their fishing begins. Munkha maintains that perfect balance throughout and leaves you far more educated about some of the traditions in the Sakha Republic, which you can only appreciate every second of what you see.

At the beginning of the film, we naturally assume that Nyukku and her family are going on their own fishing trip, and when they arrive at the lake, we assume it is a tradition that people just fish on that lake. It is only when we see the groups come together that we realise they are fishing as one, so all may obtain a plentiful amount of crucian carp back home for their families. It’s actually a lovely thing to witness, as the group works together in unity and friendship, moving the fish towards the net. By including these vital pieces of Yakur traditions, it gives us an immediate and important indication to how much respect they have not only for their community, but nature as well, its truly a beautiful aspect of the film.

The biggest success of Munkha, however, is the fantastic art design of this world and its characters. You are immediately taken in by them and left quite stunned by just how gorgeous the opening scene is, with the landscape and Nyukku playing with her fish-themed mittens. The level of detail placed into the small things, like the fibres of Nyukku’s mittens are fantastic and even though they are surrounded in white due to the snow etc, the care to ensure even the furthest parts of the background look just as good is clear to see. This stunning art design captivates you, making the film a wonderful visual treat of a short.

Munkha is an animation that you unconsciously fall head over heels in love with. It has some gorgeous animation, with characters you could just watch endless stories about. Tundra Animation has pulled off something special with this one, and luckily, their next one isn’t too far away with Tankha.

★★★★

Munkha played at the 4th World Media Lab and the cINeDIGENOUS section at the 51st Seattle International Film Festival.

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