The story takes place during the 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia in a rural village in Abkhazia (Georgia). Ivo and Margus are Estonians living in Georgia in an otherwise abandoned Estonian village (there have been Estonian villages in this area for 100 years). They want to stay long enough to harvest their latest tangerine crop. Meanwhile the war moves ever closer and they find themselves looking after two solders, a Georgian and a Chechen, who are sworn enemies.
This is a sensitive exploration of what war means and how it affects people's lives and their relationship with the land they live on. The developing relationship between the soldiers is believable and treated with a gentle humour that offsets the tragedy of the overall situation.
As the credits roll, the camera pans across the regions beautiful scenery with a most haunting musical track playing, why does war incade even such seemingly perfect places?
This is a film with a subtly profound message,which will haunt the viewer long after the film is over.
Tangerines is currently showing at Edinburgh Filmhouse until Thesday 22 September.
That sounds like my kind of film. Pity that Edinburgh is so far away. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review, I found it on at the Cornerhouse in Manchester too.
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