Saidam Baryl and Argentic Productions have signed a co-production agreement on “Thaw,” a folk-horror feature written and directed by Yakutian filmmaker Stepan Burnashev.

The deal, signed at the American Film Market ( AFM ), represents what is believed to be the first narrative feature co-production between a Yakut and an American film company.

The mystical thriller takes place in a remote Yakutian village, where an American filmmaker investigating thawing permafrost gets caught up in a local teenager named Sardaana’s shamanic initiation. The story explores the intersection of climate science and indigenous beliefs, blending documentary-style observation with spiritual and psychological elements.

“In Western culture, experiences like this are often framed as possession requiring exo

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