The coast of the Sea of Okhotsk in Kamchatka is home to the Itelmen villages of Kovran and Verkhnee Khairyuzovo. Between them stands Mountain Elvel. The story about the beautiful Elvel and the people who love her is connected with this place. This story is a window into the ancient world of Itelmens. It was told by the famous Itelmen Elder Tatyana Evstropovna Gutorova. This film is the result of a multi-year project the goal of which was to breathe new life into the story of Elvel and support the revival of the Itelmen language and culture. On the screen, Elvel’s heroes come to life through shadow and puppet theater, Itelmen songs and melodies, and the memories of Elders.

Project partners

Itelmen folklore dance group “Elvel”, Itelmen folklore dance group “Algu”, Council of Itelmens “Tkhsanom”, Small-numbered Indigenous Peoples of the North of Kamchatsky kray youth NGO “Friendship of Northerners”, anthropology mapping lab, University of Victoria, CHAK puppetry, linguistics department, Harward University.