Absurdistan (2008)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Veit Helmer

Writers:

Zaza Buadze (writer)
Veit Helmer (writer)

Release Date:

20 March 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

An allegorical comedy centered on two childhood sweethearts who seem destined for one another until the women of their isolated village...

Plot Keywords:

Childhood Sweetheart | Village | Water Shortage | Absurd Humor | Isolated Place

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kristyna Malérová	...	Aya
Max Mauff	...	Temelko (as Maximilian Mauff)
Nino Chkheidze	...	Grandmother
Ivane Ivantbelidze	...	Shooting Gallery Guy
Ani Amiridze	...	Shooting Gallery Guy's Daughter
Ilko Stefanovski	...	Guri - Temelko's Father
Assun Planas	...	Temelko's Mother
Otto Kuhnle	...	Barber
Hijran Nasirova	...	Barber's Wife
Hendrik Arnst	...	Landlord
Olga Nefjodova	...	Landlord's Wife
Adalet Zyadhanov	...	Policeman
Matanat Atakishiyeva	...	Policeman's Wife
Azelarab Kaghat	...	Baker
Michaela Bandi	...	Baker's Wife

Runtime:

USA:88 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Germany:12 | Czech Republic:12

Filming Locations:

Lahic, Azerbaijan

Company:

Veit Helmer Filmproduktion

sweet human comedy

Reportedly based on a true story (though with quite a bit of legendary embellishment, one assumes, at least in its more fantastical elements), "Absurdistan" takes place in a remote village where the women wage a full-fledged battle-of-the-sexes, agreeing to withhold their conjugal duties until the men in the community repair the pipe that for decades has brought water to the town. The story also features Tamelko (Max Mauff) and Aya (Kristyna Malerova) as two teenagers whose own plans to finally consummate their relationship must now be put on hold.

Homespun in appearance and humanistic in tone, "Absurdistan" (a German film done in Russian) is highly reminiscent of those quirky Czech comedies that enjoyed such popularity here in the States back in the 1960s. The scenes set in the past have been deliberately designed to look like aging home movies - grainy, washed-out, and scratchy - while those set in the present are crisp, clean and bursting with color.

The movie blends small town humor with touches of magic realism and the occasional flight of fancy. There are times, admittedly, when the movie gets a little too silly and cutesy for its own good, but, on the positive side, it never takes itself too seriously or condescends to its characters. The mood is upbeat and the details charming in what amounts to a modern-day (but not TOO modern-day) version of "Lysistrata."