40 Years of Complete Isolation

40 Years of Complete Isolation

2011, Society  -  Playlist 48 Comments
7.88
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Ratings: 7.88/10 from 42 users.

40 Years of Complete IsolationSince 1965, Faustino Barrientos has lived alone on the shores lake O'Higgins' in a house built from the remains of a shipwrecked fishing vessel.

He's a pastoralist, living mostly off the land and his livestock, with few modern amenities.

His nearest neighbors are in Villa O'Higgins, a small community of several hundred people, 25 miles away, accessible only by a two-day horseback ride through rugged mountain animal paths. Every few years, Faustino makes this ride to sell his cattle in town.

Currently 81 years old, Faustino is reaching the end of his life, and his self-imposed isolation is being encroached upon by the forces of government, economy, and tourism.

VICE went to document his lifestyle and speak with him about the changing face of Patagonia and the gaucho lifestyle.

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Paul Sébastien
Paul Sébastien
3 years ago

Pro:
1) no drama/stress/slow pace living
2) no pollution/fresh air with scenery nature
3) no unhealthy eating /grass fed animal/red wine
Con:
1) no book/music/art/inspiration
2) no role model
3) no legacy leave behind ?

Juli
Juli
4 years ago

It is a beautiful place. I don't blame Faustino for having lived there all his life. He is more healthy than us people who are in the brink of political aspects, greediness, and a bad world. It is such a beautiful place to build a lovely cabin and come spend holidays away from the noise of the world.

Kurt
Kurt
6 years ago

For those of you who want to do this, go for it. You can get 20 acres in Alaska for about the price of a Honda Accord.

gaboora
gaboora
8 years ago

Good film, nice landscape, interesting, pleasant people.

mark farley
mark farley
10 years ago

the idea that anyone could try to criticize any one thing about this doc is very disturbing and reveals much about the degradation of humanity. i will post again after i observe the last 30 min.

Joshua Marks
Joshua Marks
10 years ago

Faustino... the real deal.

Sand
Sand
10 years ago

"water temperature is always -7 degrees celsius" ... not bad :p. anyway i'm impressed with his lifestyle, it takes a strong minded human to go through with all that and manage as well. Great doc as usual Vice.

Actof Courage
Actof Courage
10 years ago

What a guy....less is more. He doesn't need Obama care

Gadea
Gadea
10 years ago

I have a lot of respect and admiration for Faustino Barrientos.
Faustino was gracious and kind to his guest, despite the

condescending tone of the female narrator.

Señor Barrientos has lived his life his way and survived into his
80's. I think he's an amazing man.
He teaches us, that surviving with very little, making use of
what you have is possible.

KindleTheBonfire
KindleTheBonfire
11 years ago

This documentary was amazing. I kind of shed some tears at the end because I hate goodbyes, it's just so lonely and depressing.
Well, he's about to die and I hope he enjoyed his 40 years of loneliness.
He likes to talk and tell stories, he really loves someone's company.
t.t Farewell, grandpa...

Nicholas Prem Tranter
Nicholas Prem Tranter
11 years ago

Kurt is right. We live with so much, without ever believing that we need so little. Even if we took away almost everything we do on a daily basis (and use); every single one of us would need two earths just to survive. To bring that down to one... that is the real challenge.

foxrocks1070
foxrocks1070
11 years ago

well done, would be nice to see a folow up one day

Kurt
Kurt
11 years ago

He's lucky enough not to be enslaved to power structure bills like gas, electric, and gasoline and all that. To perhaps live life with creation & spiritually. Unlike how we survive the struggle of corruptness of a physical world as we are all controlled by it.

TheDanishViking
TheDanishViking
11 years ago

And so what?! We've all been isolated since the internet came along...

Matt van den Ham
Matt van den Ham
11 years ago

haha..he locks his door

David Ewer
David Ewer
11 years ago

A moving film. Faustino Barrientos is a very interesting man - it would have been nice to have learned a little more about him.

Boby5000
Boby5000
11 years ago

Her voice is annoying.

seoulman
seoulman
11 years ago

the title is mis leading. he in not in complete isolation! he gets his goods , he probably has been into town once and while, he is just a farmer living in the boonies, a hermit so to speak, plenty of these guys around.
still good story.

Drdocwilmot
Drdocwilmot
11 years ago

Better than expected... I particularly enjoyed "the waiting for something to happen" so when it didn't I wasn't even disappointed.

Alessia_murphy
Alessia_murphy
11 years ago

aww bless

N_INHURSAG
N_INHURSAG
11 years ago

Bless Him.

Wylde14e
Wylde14e
11 years ago

Amazing way of life. I do though,question why one might not be vegetarian. Cooking dried beans, lentils etc. could be an option, I'd say.

Dick Proenneke
Dick Proenneke
11 years ago

Super cheesy....That's just another day in the 3rd world,she hyped it all up like this guy had some special talent to stay alive..

Shawn
Shawn
11 years ago

couldnt really get into this i mean the guy has clothing and whine hows that isolation he just doesnt have hydro or a car like millions of poor people everywhere yet hes just fortunate not to live in a third world country and in a place where its possible to sustain himself off the land

dmxi
dmxi
11 years ago

blimey,they found biggles !

dmxi
dmxi
11 years ago

maybe the goggles blend out the fact that his living right next to a motorway,believing he's 'isolated'.typical alzheimer syndrome>smirk<.

Patsy
Patsy
11 years ago

Pretty countryside.. it does look very peaceful on the surface.
Had to giggle at his philosophy concerning fear and his balls.

Matt Laird
Matt Laird
11 years ago

While I did enjoy the doc and learning about this unique individual...I couldn't help but be distracted by the host. She is everywhere throughout the movie and rather overbearing. Hell the first part is just her. It seems as though the film makers were trying to romanticize Faustino...when all Faustino was trying to do was live.

atur3866
atur3866
11 years ago

Humans are all each others therapists, healers, teachers and students too. How do we get our therapy if we live life alone?
Faustino doesn't appear to need any. He seems so well adjusted and content living only for himself....Right or wrong, he is indeed a rare specimen.

Anonymus
Anonymus
11 years ago

nice lock at the door

Nosferat
Nosferat
11 years ago

I respect the man for having the courage,willpower and inner strength to cope with this.

I for sure admit that I would have some difficulties integrating into a life of complete and utter isolation from the world around me, I like nature, but I like my cozy couch, a warm tea and a good book as well, and some nice music go play in the background.

Most people envision a sort of idyllic romance with nature, a place where you can be one with nature in perfect harmony. Those people tend to dream too much. Living alone, on your own is brutal.

In the world of fast food, coke, mocaccino's and iPhone's. Most people barely know how to cook basic food like a chicken breast, and they dream about being alone on their own in nature ? :) A really sad joke, what will you eat? Grass and dirt?

It is really hard and it takes a man with a strong determination and a clear goal to do this, otherwise you will break in a matter of days.

Akalilglobug1
Akalilglobug1
11 years ago

i would give all my modern everything to have the ability to do just this... amazing

Raskbro2400 7
Raskbro2400 7
11 years ago

Excellent doc. Enjoyed learning about Faustino Barrientos and his way of life. nothing like i was expecting, he seems quite happy now. thanks for posting the link.

Trevis Robotie
Trevis Robotie
11 years ago

dreamland-very beautiful.give me my woman and i'm ready to live and die here.thanx

ZarathustraSpeaks
ZarathustraSpeaks
11 years ago

Looks like a good doc. but its cloudy today so I doubt Ill have enough juice to watch it.

TheDanishViking
TheDanishViking
11 years ago

The girl doing the voice-over has this extremely annoying throatsound at the end of each sentence. I think maybe she is straining her voice to try to make it sound deeper and more grown up? Really bad idea. I had to give up watching after three minutes. Shame.

Klutee
Klutee
11 years ago

This is a amasing and excellent documentary - thank you