The Kautokeino Rebellion

The Brief

For centuries, the windswept plains of far northern Norway have been inhabited by the Sami people and their reindeer. But modern times are about to reach the remote village of Kautokeino, ruled by the wealthy and brutal merchant Ruth (Mikael Persbrandt). One of the Sami groups (siidas), led by the young woman Elen, refuses to pay an unjust debt to Ruth. Without trial, Ruth ensures that most of Elen's siida are imprisoned, leaving her alone to care for the reindeer. Elen gets help to arrange a trial that leads to the release of most of the men. But Ruth seizes the siida's reindeer to cover the costs of the trial. Without means of livelihood, Elen and the siida have no choice but to oppose Ruth's demands. This leads to one of the most dramatic events in northern Norwegian history. Nils Gaup's grand drama about a historical tragedy won five Amanda Awards in 2008. Good to know: * Language: Sami, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish * Text: Norwegian