Suzie Washington (1998)

Nana is from Georgia, en route to America. During a stopover in Vienna her forged visa comes to light. Before she can be deported, she decides to go on the run. An odyssey through Austria is set in motion.

Director:

Florian Flicker

Writers:

Florian Flicker, Michael Sturminger

Stars:

Birgit Doll, August Zirner, Wolfram Berger

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Birgit Doll	...	Nana Iaschwili
August Zirner	...	Herbert Korn
Wolfram Berger	...	Hüttenwirt
Karl Ferdinand Kratzl	...	Illegaler Grenzgänger
Nina Proll	...	Stewardess
Carmen Loley	...	Polizistin
Merab Ninidze	...	Resa Madani
Liliana Nelska	...	Maria Holländer
Boris Eder	...	Reiseleiter
Antje Hochholder	...	Reiseleiterin
Brigitte Kren	...	Susie Haberl
Kathrin Maria Pilz	...	Frau Holler
Michael Kreihsl	...	Herr Holler
Johannes Nikolussi	...	Fernfahrer
Klaus Ortner	...	Tankwart

Storyline

Nana, fleeing the upheavals in the former Soviet republic that is her home, heads for the USA, where she has an uncle. Her plan is thwarted when her travel documents are inspected at Vienna airport and revealed as forgeries. Nana manages to escape from the transit lounge at the airport and, now instantly transformed into an illegal immigrant, relies on her wits and the kindness of strangers (typically, lonely men) as she makes her way west.

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Plot Keywords:

airport | escape | smuggling | tourism | bus | 

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Details

Country:

Austria

Language:

German English

Release Date:

31 December 1998 (Germany)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allegro Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Good film

Nana is a middle-aged woman, who desperately wants to leave the Soviet Union. She wants to visit her uncle in Los Angeles, and, ostensibly, defect. As the movie opens, she's detained in an Austrian airport, because her passport is forged. Frightened to return to Russia and desperate to get to America, she escapes from the airport and becomes a fugitive. She doesn't speak the language and knows no one, and must use her fierce determination to avoid capture and try to get to her destination.

This is a very interesting film that never drags, but it's not very emotionally involving. It hold Nana at arm's length, which is good in that it never becomes maudlin or melodramatic, but that prevents the audience from emotionally connecting with her. I definitely recommend it, though. It's very good.