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Czełutaj is a village located near the Russian-Mongolian border. It is here that Bair Rinczinow, considered one of the strongest Buryat shamans, was said to have lived. Arun managed to settle in Bair’s home and, for several months, actively participated in the daily life of the Rinczinow family. Monika, on the other hand, was supposed to stay in Czełutaj for just a few days—yet she remains there to this day, still the only Western woman to have seriously penetrated the subculture of local shamans.
This meeting is a unique blend of film photos illustrating Buryat rituals, stand-up comedy, and drama. The performance is complemented by playing authentic Siberian instruments and singing. The staging presents a world where shamanic rituals intertwine with the everyday routines of life. The story of Monika and Arun, as well as the daily life of the shaman Bair, provides an excellent opportunity to tackle such significant topics as returning to one’s roots, respecting ancestors, and their influence on our earthly existence. On one hand, the performance is touching and thought-provoking; on the other, Arun’s ironic humor adds a provoking touch, making the audience smile. Yet, most importantly, their shared story fully engages the viewer and, from the very first moments, transports them to the boundless steppe of Zabajkale.
ARUN MILCARZ — reporter, writer, and traveler.
His first long journey took place in 1998 to the Ecuadorian jungle, but it was his solo expedition “Africa Marathon South to North” that brought him widespread recognition. In 2005, he received the prestigious KOLOS statuette for this adventure. Since then, he has visited countries such as Indonesia, Siberia, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, and Mongolia. He is the author of several documentary films, including “Rejs na Kongo”, “Bair Batar – Someone Has to Do It”, and “Europa ma zegarki – Afryka ma czas”, which have been aired on TVP1, TVN, and 4FUN TV.
In 2009, he received an award at the International Screenwriters Festival INTERSCENARIO for his screenplay for the film “Holiday” (2021), directed by Paweł Ferdek. Since 2015, he has been collaborating with the magazine “Kontynenty”, co-creating the Opowieści Podróżne book series, which includes the books “Afryka”, “Azja”, and “Wyspa”. In 2016, he published his first novel “Czad. W poszukiwaniu straconego”, which earned him the Magellan Award. In autumn 2020, “Dotyk szamana” — the first part of the “Rytuały” trilogy — was released. The novel’s plot was developed alongside the screenplay for the play “Szaman. Spektakl reporterski”, in which he made his debut as an actor and playwright.
MONIKA MARIOTTI — theater, film, and TV actress, vocalist, and screenwriter.
In addition to various other performances, she staged a fact-based production titled “Szaman: spektakl reporterski” (2020) about Buryat shamanism, in which she made her debut as a screenwriter and director.
She hosted a travel show on Dzień Dobry TVN called “Słyszałam, że… Dzienniki Moniki Mariotti”, later aired on Travel Channel Polska as “Dziewczyna na horyzoncie”. In 2024, she founded her own agency, Arte Mariotti, with the goal of producing and staging theater, music, and travel projects across Europe. Monika is a passionate traveler, with interests in foreign languages, anthropology, spirituality, ecology, and long solo expeditions to distant countries.
