Review: Life of Ivanna

Guatemalan-born, Russian-based director
Renato Borrayo Serrano's first feature-length documentary,
Life of Ivanna, which has world-premiered in Hot Docs' World Showcase section, is a film about a tough woman living amidst harsh conditions. Set in the brutally inhospitable north of Siberia, among the Nenets people, it tells its story in an uncompromising way, resulting in a difficult and often troubling viewing experience.
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Ivanna lives with her five small children in a cabin sitting on skis, in what could be described as the Siberian tundra's version of a trailer park. A member of the ethnic Nenets people, she depends on reindeer for shelter, food, clothing and transportation. While snowstorms rage outside, the family cooks, eats, sleeps and plays in the one, tiny room.

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