The sami people had always been able to wander with their rain deer as they wanted. Then in 1851 the borders between Norway, Sweden and Finland were closed, and this made the samis dis gruntled. In addition, the culture of the samis were looked down upon, not respected. The asshole shopkeeper in Kautkeino were selling booze to the sami men, making alcoholics out of them, when they should be out and about tending the rain deer and protecting their families. The preacher man, Lars Levi Læstadius traveled the country side, preaching abstinence from drinking. Many samis became followers, and started holding their own sermons. One of the sami females were in the center of this. She is really pretty.
This enraged the local priest, brilliantly played by Bjørn Sundquist. The priest was of course in allegiance with the shop keeper.
The samis then made the Bishop come to check out the situation. The bishop is an uber cool guy with a cool fur coat. He is mild mannered, and decides to appoint a new priest. Of course he doesn't succeed.
So..as the film builds up to the final show down in little Kautokeino, we see some nicely shoot scenes of rain deer and snow covered plains. The showdown includes a nice scene where the shop keeper's skull is smashed in with a pole.
The sami men behind the revolt, are, as the film concludes, be-headed on a nicely built, brand new scaffold at the shore of a beautiful fjord. The priest who gives them their last rites, is an interesting, bearded blonde, who seems very affected by the spectacle. He offers to send God their regrets before the hench man drops his axe. They reject. One of them says, emotionally: "I wan't to regret. But I can't."
I liked this movie. The Bishop, the sami woman, the asshole priest and shop keeper and the smashing in of his skull is all worth it.
This enraged the local priest, brilliantly played by Bjørn Sundquist. The priest was of course in allegiance with the shop keeper.
The samis then made the Bishop come to check out the situation. The bishop is an uber cool guy with a cool fur coat. He is mild mannered, and decides to appoint a new priest. Of course he doesn't succeed.
So..as the film builds up to the final show down in little Kautokeino, we see some nicely shoot scenes of rain deer and snow covered plains. The showdown includes a nice scene where the shop keeper's skull is smashed in with a pole.
The sami men behind the revolt, are, as the film concludes, be-headed on a nicely built, brand new scaffold at the shore of a beautiful fjord. The priest who gives them their last rites, is an interesting, bearded blonde, who seems very affected by the spectacle. He offers to send God their regrets before the hench man drops his axe. They reject. One of them says, emotionally: "I wan't to regret. But I can't."
I liked this movie. The Bishop, the sami woman, the asshole priest and shop keeper and the smashing in of his skull is all worth it.