To attest to some reviews this isn't a movie of fantasy for your enjoyment! It's a depiction of the single account of the Baltic tribes from a merchant spy depicted within a primary source document called, "Liburcenses Dani."
The accuracy of the document and biases are analyzed by a robotic voice but are necessary to understand the context of the film, and the account of the merchant Lars whose Christian biases are clearly stated to allow the viewer to determine their own value of the information. Missing are lots of information about the Pagan gods of Perun and Dievas along with the rest of the pantheon, however that would not have been known or understood by a Christian merchant either. It must be understood that this documentary uses the only information available without adding fantasy or other primary and secondary source information, and should be commended! Could more money be used to narrate in English, perhaps, yet the content is valuable and fairly unknown information! Brava!
9 Reviews
Enjoyable even to those familiar with the culture and their history.
ozolsx-imdb10 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"Baltic Tribes: The Last Pagans of Europe" is now included with Amazon Prime in the U. S.(https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0844HQ51V/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r). Sadly, the only language option in this distribution stream is English, not Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Estonian, Danish or German, but since the first person in-story narrator is a Danish spy rather than a Balt, it's not that ridiculously inappropriate. The omniscient super-narrator sounds a bit like a synthesized voice when speaking English, but the few words she says in crisp and juicy Latvian and Lithuanian confirm she's a living actor.
For those unfamiliar with the film, it is a fictitious travelogue in the form of a chronicle narrated by its author. He is sent by the king of Denmark to spy on the Balts during his travels as a trader. He witnesses and comments on the customs and beliefs of the local peoples, which encompass almost every one of the major Baltic and Finnic tribes that inhabited Latvia, Lithuania and East Prussia, along with a few handfuls of Estonians thrown in for good measure.
The story takes place in the early thirteenth century, when the Livonian Brethren of the Sword (Catholic warrior monks from Germany) were busy making and breaking alliances with the local tribes and hiring them as mercenaries to divide and conquer, nominally in the name of Christ, but really to colonize and exploit them. The traveler witnesses the magic of summer and winter solstice celebrations, funerals, markets and battles. He is wounded and healed, trips on fungal and botanical hallucinogens, is enslaved, goes native, and finally agrees to go to war in return for his freedom.
This is a docu-drama with live action interspersed with several styles of animation: one that resembles manuscript illustrations come to life, and another which is more reminiscent of naturalistic paintings. Although some of the events depicted are quite speculative, better informed historians than myself say that little or nothing is obviously inconsistent with our current understanding of the period.
Some may complain that the film slanders our ancestors, but please consider that it is a fictional chronicle based on real ones. The narrator was a foreigner and a Christian who had no choice but to interpret what he saw through the lens of his own life experience and beliefs. A big part of the story is how he progressively comes to tolerate, respect, admire, and finally adopt the Baltic Pagan way of life he encounters. It's a bit like "Dances With Wolves" that way, but more ambiguous, and therefore more realistic: he only gradually and grudgingly learns to adapt to the new culture in which he finds himself rather than falling in love with it on day one.
The extras are all Latvian and and Lithuanian historic reenactors wearing their own garb. If you don't already know, the authenticity and quality of kits in the East Baltic region (and perhaps in general in much of Europe) is higher than we are accustomed to seeing in North America. Pretty much everyone sews their own clothing by hand, and more specialized skills such as dyeing, fabric and band weaving, blacksmithing, silversmithing, founding, woodcarving, pottery, etc. Are all done within the community. Since the underlying technologies have not changed much over the millennia, and they have lived on in folk art to the present day, you'll see some enviable garb and accessories. You may also spot some familiar faces. We recognized more names in the closing credits than I caught on screen, but they're all in there somewhere, so the film has the added entertainment value of being a moving "Where's Waldo".
There is abundant nudity of both sexes, violence, body parts and entrails both human and animal, an animal sacrifice (possibly real, but not up close), brief indirectly shown sex, and even a couple of instances of arachnophagy. All in all, milder than much popular entertainment today and much less distressing than politics.
BTW, don't confuse this film with the much more lavishly budgeted "Nameja Gredzens" a.k.a. "The Pagan King" (also on Amazon Prime), which was also produced in Latvia and premiered in 2018 for the national centenary. It is set in some of the same places during the same period. I have heard only praise for "Baltic Tribes" and only derision for "Pagan King" from reenactors in Latvia. "Tribes" achieved much more with much less funding than "King," because it was a labor of love.
Enjoy!
For those unfamiliar with the film, it is a fictitious travelogue in the form of a chronicle narrated by its author. He is sent by the king of Denmark to spy on the Balts during his travels as a trader. He witnesses and comments on the customs and beliefs of the local peoples, which encompass almost every one of the major Baltic and Finnic tribes that inhabited Latvia, Lithuania and East Prussia, along with a few handfuls of Estonians thrown in for good measure.
The story takes place in the early thirteenth century, when the Livonian Brethren of the Sword (Catholic warrior monks from Germany) were busy making and breaking alliances with the local tribes and hiring them as mercenaries to divide and conquer, nominally in the name of Christ, but really to colonize and exploit them. The traveler witnesses the magic of summer and winter solstice celebrations, funerals, markets and battles. He is wounded and healed, trips on fungal and botanical hallucinogens, is enslaved, goes native, and finally agrees to go to war in return for his freedom.
This is a docu-drama with live action interspersed with several styles of animation: one that resembles manuscript illustrations come to life, and another which is more reminiscent of naturalistic paintings. Although some of the events depicted are quite speculative, better informed historians than myself say that little or nothing is obviously inconsistent with our current understanding of the period.
Some may complain that the film slanders our ancestors, but please consider that it is a fictional chronicle based on real ones. The narrator was a foreigner and a Christian who had no choice but to interpret what he saw through the lens of his own life experience and beliefs. A big part of the story is how he progressively comes to tolerate, respect, admire, and finally adopt the Baltic Pagan way of life he encounters. It's a bit like "Dances With Wolves" that way, but more ambiguous, and therefore more realistic: he only gradually and grudgingly learns to adapt to the new culture in which he finds himself rather than falling in love with it on day one.
The extras are all Latvian and and Lithuanian historic reenactors wearing their own garb. If you don't already know, the authenticity and quality of kits in the East Baltic region (and perhaps in general in much of Europe) is higher than we are accustomed to seeing in North America. Pretty much everyone sews their own clothing by hand, and more specialized skills such as dyeing, fabric and band weaving, blacksmithing, silversmithing, founding, woodcarving, pottery, etc. Are all done within the community. Since the underlying technologies have not changed much over the millennia, and they have lived on in folk art to the present day, you'll see some enviable garb and accessories. You may also spot some familiar faces. We recognized more names in the closing credits than I caught on screen, but they're all in there somewhere, so the film has the added entertainment value of being a moving "Where's Waldo".
There is abundant nudity of both sexes, violence, body parts and entrails both human and animal, an animal sacrifice (possibly real, but not up close), brief indirectly shown sex, and even a couple of instances of arachnophagy. All in all, milder than much popular entertainment today and much less distressing than politics.
BTW, don't confuse this film with the much more lavishly budgeted "Nameja Gredzens" a.k.a. "The Pagan King" (also on Amazon Prime), which was also produced in Latvia and premiered in 2018 for the national centenary. It is set in some of the same places during the same period. I have heard only praise for "Baltic Tribes" and only derision for "Pagan King" from reenactors in Latvia. "Tribes" achieved much more with much less funding than "King," because it was a labor of love.
Enjoy!
A fascinating journey through the 13th century Europe
robertssmitins7 August 2018
The title of the movie - ''Baltu Ciltis'' means ''Baltic Tribes'' and rightly so, because this film takes you to the lands of Baltic peoples shortly before Christianity took over those territories. ''Baltu Ciltis'' is a wonderful effort which interweaves tons of historical facts into the plot. But ''Baltu Ciltis'' is not a pure documentary. It's a feature film heavily based on true events. I really enjoy this concept. ''Baltu Ciltis'' tells a story of a Danish spy Lars who visits Baltic lands. Lars is of a Christian background, so some customs and certain aspects of everyday life of so called pagans seem quite weird and even scary to him. But as Lars continues his journey, he starts to strongly sympathize with the native denizens and their traditions. I really enjoyed watching ''Baltu Ciltis''. And not only due to the fact that it is historically accurate while still being a feature film. Another aspect I really like about this film is that you won't encounter any exaggerations or impossible twists of plot during this movie. ''Baltu Ciltis'' feels like a real thing. Let me epitomise here. If you are interested in history, this film is a must for you. In fact, ''Baltu Ciltis'' is by far the best movie about history that I have ever seen! Wonderful stuff!
Merchant Lars journey through the early 13th century Baltic tribe lands
OJeykobbs14 November 2018
The story takes place in early 13th century in the midst of Northern Crusades. Protagonist merchant Lars comes from the lands who have long adopted Christianity and travels to the last pagan populated areas in Europe to trade with local Baltic tribes and is being drawn in a lot of unexpected events.
The whole story is narrated by the Lars point of view and there isn't any single dialogue in the whole movie. During his journey the story is enriched with the historical facts of that period of time as we know it of local tribe lifestyle and traditions. Despite the fact that there wasn't much of an acting, the actors still did a good job and it didn't ruin the whole picture.
This whole concept very intrigued me because there was left a huge blank space which was filled with a great cinematography which served as a great foundation for this movie to really succeed and between all that the beautiful animations added more artistic value to this gem.
This movie is nor action, nor adventure movie or another blood driven viking flick but beautifully told story filled with historical facts as we know it today to visualize the early 13th century Baltic tribe lands.
If you're interested in history or you like a beautiful cinematography and want to please your eyes give this movie a try.
The whole story is narrated by the Lars point of view and there isn't any single dialogue in the whole movie. During his journey the story is enriched with the historical facts of that period of time as we know it of local tribe lifestyle and traditions. Despite the fact that there wasn't much of an acting, the actors still did a good job and it didn't ruin the whole picture.
This whole concept very intrigued me because there was left a huge blank space which was filled with a great cinematography which served as a great foundation for this movie to really succeed and between all that the beautiful animations added more artistic value to this gem.
This movie is nor action, nor adventure movie or another blood driven viking flick but beautifully told story filled with historical facts as we know it today to visualize the early 13th century Baltic tribe lands.
If you're interested in history or you like a beautiful cinematography and want to please your eyes give this movie a try.
realistic film
jiwonjiwon-001836 October 2020
Someone was building Rome, some were running naked in the woods
JacobSpo27 February 2020
One of the worst movies I've seen in my whole life. 0 dialogues, only the narrator (watched it in lithuanian) who's voice is awful. Even the sound effects aren't timed right (e.g. footsteps). Non-existent, unnoticeable story which lead you to seperate scenes/pictures. Some infamous facts about pagans weren't mentioned and the narrator felt like he was trying his best to make you love these tribes. It's like you were pushed to it.
I am from the Baltic region myself and in my opinion there isn't a single thing in this "civilization" which fascinates me. The fact that we accepted Christianity so late shouldn't be a brag.
I am from the Baltic region myself and in my opinion there isn't a single thing in this "civilization" which fascinates me. The fact that we accepted Christianity so late shouldn't be a brag.
Overrated history lesson
varminttank5 November 2020
Missleading
sattavolunteer8 September 2018
History lesson
BandSAboutMovies5 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Known as Baltu Ciltis, this film is all about religious rituals, the Battle of Saule, the Crusaders battles and the fiery battles for the free land. Who were the last pagans of Europe and who did they believe? You'll discover all of that here in this film, in which Danish spy Lars enters the tribal lands of the Baltic people, takes part in religious rites, gets high during the summer solstice, becomes the slave of Curonians and even fights the Crusaders.
The team of Raitis Abele and Lauris Abele has created something truly interesting here. It's an almost "you are there" way of showing the 13th century, along with animated educational segments. If you told me I was going to enjoy a historical movie this much, I would have told you that you were crazy.
The team of Raitis Abele and Lauris Abele has created something truly interesting here. It's an almost "you are there" way of showing the 13th century, along with animated educational segments. If you told me I was going to enjoy a historical movie this much, I would have told you that you were crazy.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
