The Brigade

Directed by Liivo Niglas and Reet Sokmann

This documentary has been shot during three months on the Yamal Peninsula in West Siberia, where the Nenets have been herding reindeer for about a thousand years. Times ago reindeer herders were assembled into state farm brigades. The Yar-Sale sovkhoz includes 22 brigades, each of which looks after several hundred thousand reindeer. In a year, a brigade travels several thousand kilometres. The calving time in spring, the ty nintch, is the busiest time of the year. The brigade has to make sure that the new-born calves keep up with the herd - bigger rivers must be crossed before the ice breaks. During the polar summer, people work also at night.