‘Holgut - Liesbeth De Ceulaer’

The Siberian permafrost is melting. Ancient bones rise up from the ground and wild animals seem to have disappeared. Holgut is a contemporary story based on historical, mythological and current stories. Two brothers and a scientist venture into the vast wilderness of Yakutia, looking for a myth. Villager Roman and city boy Kyym hunt for a rare reindeer while scientist Semyon scourges the permafrost for a viable cell of the mammoth, which he needs to clone the extinct animal. The film boldly combines elements of fiction and documentary and manoeuvres effortlessly from captivating reality to visual poetry. In the midst of a Siberian Gold Rush, looking for Mammoth ivory, science fiction seems to become reality and reality seems to become myth. 

Liesbeth De Ceulaer is a Belgian independent filmmaker, whose films explore the complex relationship between man and his environment. These cinematic explorations lead to captivating worlds, in which documentary and fiction are in continuous and enriching exchange. Holgut (2021), Victoria (2020) and Behind the Redwood Curtain (2013) have been presented at film festivals such as Berlinale IFF (DE, Caligari Award) and CPH:DOX (DK, Special Mention).