The Oscar-nominated film about Georgian farmers caught up in a bloody civil war finally gets its much-deserved UK release
This movie from Georgian writer-director Zara Urushadze had an Oscar nomination for best foreign film, losing out to Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida. It more than deserves its UK release now: a tremendous, old-fashioned anti-war film, by turns touching, moving and suspenseful. It’s set in 1992, in the post-Soviet Caucasus, where Georgians are fighting a war with secessionist Abkhazians, backed by Russia. Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) is an elderly ethnic Estonian who, with his friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), is a tangerine farmer; they fear the fighting will destroy their entire crop. Disaster strikes, and Ivo finds himself having to offer tense hospitality to one wounded fighter from each side: Georgian Niko (Misha Meskhi) and Chechen mercenary Ahmed (Giorgi Nakhashidze) who has no great love for his Russian paymasters. Ivo’s house becomes their demilitarised zone,...
This movie from Georgian writer-director Zara Urushadze had an Oscar nomination for best foreign film, losing out to Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida. It more than deserves its UK release now: a tremendous, old-fashioned anti-war film, by turns touching, moving and suspenseful. It’s set in 1992, in the post-Soviet Caucasus, where Georgians are fighting a war with secessionist Abkhazians, backed by Russia. Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) is an elderly ethnic Estonian who, with his friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), is a tangerine farmer; they fear the fighting will destroy their entire crop. Disaster strikes, and Ivo finds himself having to offer tense hospitality to one wounded fighter from each side: Georgian Niko (Misha Meskhi) and Chechen mercenary Ahmed (Giorgi Nakhashidze) who has no great love for his Russian paymasters. Ivo’s house becomes their demilitarised zone,...
- 9/17/2015
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
“Cinema is a fraud,” exclaims Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak), an elderly Estonian man living in the Caucasus Mountains, after one of his last remaining friends expresses his disappointed when an army van they are disposing of doesn’t explode when falling from a cliff. The man expected such occurrence based upon what he had witnessed in movies.
Beneath this statement one could infer that Ivo’s disillusionment with Hollywood has more to do with its depiction of war than with this precise incident, but it undoubtedly asserts that “Tangerines” is not another textbook drama about the atrocities of armed conflicts as the West likes to present them. Instead, Georgian director Zaza Urushadze’s Oscar-nominated gem is witty and heartfelt without stepping on patronizing or condemning territory.
During the War in Abkhazia in the early 90s, most Estonians who lived in the region returned home given that the fighting only involved Georgia and the Russian-backed Abkhazians. Ivo, being an experience carpenter capable of making numerous crates per day, and his caring friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), who owns a sizeable amount of tangerine trees, decided to stay behind in order to sell their harvest.
Inescapably, their peaceful and isolated days come to an end when the gunshots arrive at their doorsteps. Startled by the commotion of warfare so close to him, Ivo searches several damaged vehicles for any sings of life until he finds Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Chechen mercenary still conscious. He recognizes him as the same man that had come asking for food days earlier.
Among the wreckage Ivo, with Margus’ help, also discovers several deceased men from both sides and Niko (Misha Meskhi), a Georgian soldier who has miraculously survived an injury to the head. Hoping to save them both, Ivo must now house the two mortal enemies in recovery under the same roof. He feeds them and takes care of their wounds like a strict, yet affectionate, father would. But the moment the two become aware of the other’s presence, their hatred comes to the surface instantly. Ivo’s efforts to keep them alive might prove too small to counteract their respective preset ideologies.
Ahmed promises to kill Niko as soon as the latter can stand on his feet. Ivo intervenes and requests that if any violence should take place, this should not happen inside his house. Grateful for what he’s done for them, both fighters agree to behave in a civilized manner while at Ivo’s place. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the tension completely subsides.
Urushadze capitalizes on the peculiar living arrangements with humor and casual exchanges between the two perennial adversaries and the diplomatic Ivo, which are at once enjoyable and insightful. War is constantly skulking outside the door throughout the film, yet “Tangerines” consciously focuses far more on the human component and reconciliation than the historical aspects of this specific conflict. Its pacifist message is clear, but wrapped around a cleverly written screenplay.
Occasionally, the minimalist approach might feel slightly theatrical, but this is often quickly rectified by Rein Kotov’s splendid cinematography: A breakfast sequences is transformed into an electrifying confrontation, the breathtaking landscapes sparkle with color, and every action-packed sequence is shot with tremendous effectiveness.
Purposely with a marvelous cinematic quality, “Tangerines” is a departure from other Easter European films that sport a gloomy, documentary-like, visual aesthetic. Here, while not overly stylized, each frame captures glimpses of hope in the form of beauty even in the midst of chaos.
Evidently, as even Niko points out in the film, the film industry of the region is underdeveloped and underfunded. Intelligently, Urushadze chose to ditch a story of epic proportions for something intimate in which whatever resources he had were channeled towards polished images and astounding performances.
Wise and strangely endearing Mr. Ulfsak's Ivo is the heart of this unforgettable story. He is the voice of reason, a skillful countryman, and someone who’s suffered profound losses but can still look at humanity with compassion. His no-nonsense way of doing things is efficient, fair, and often comical. Ulfsak’s performance avoids sentimentalism without being cold. He tells it like it is and it’s brilliant.
In such a contained production, every piece is a crucial element, and though Ulfsak unquestionably carries the action, the rest of the cast delivers equally memorable work. Nakashidze as the stubborn Ahmed experiences a change of heart that feels organic and believable. Meanwhile, Meskhi and his superior demeanor as an educated Tbilisi man expose the great difference between the two men not without highlighting moving similarities like their mutual fondness for music and religious tolerance.
Armed with a mountain of excellently conceived elements, including the exotic and mesmerizing score by Niaz Diasamidze, “Tangerines” is a near perfect work that manages to fully captivate with it’s honesty. Still, as the drama unfolds one can’t help but wonder about the significance of the eponymous citrus fruit. It’s perhaps an insignificant reason for these men to stay and work so hard day after day, but it’s a reason after all.
That’s what Urushadze’s film is about. Is not a philosophical exploration on violence, but a humanistic mediation on the tiny treasures of life that gain even more importance when death is so close in the horizon. “Tangerines” is a powerful achievement both in content and technique that strikes a rare balance between its mission to convey a message of peace and its ability to truly entertain. Not to be missed.
Now playing in L.A. at the Laemmle Royal, Laemmle Playhouse 7, and Laemmle's Town Center 5, and in NYC at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas...
Beneath this statement one could infer that Ivo’s disillusionment with Hollywood has more to do with its depiction of war than with this precise incident, but it undoubtedly asserts that “Tangerines” is not another textbook drama about the atrocities of armed conflicts as the West likes to present them. Instead, Georgian director Zaza Urushadze’s Oscar-nominated gem is witty and heartfelt without stepping on patronizing or condemning territory.
During the War in Abkhazia in the early 90s, most Estonians who lived in the region returned home given that the fighting only involved Georgia and the Russian-backed Abkhazians. Ivo, being an experience carpenter capable of making numerous crates per day, and his caring friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), who owns a sizeable amount of tangerine trees, decided to stay behind in order to sell their harvest.
Inescapably, their peaceful and isolated days come to an end when the gunshots arrive at their doorsteps. Startled by the commotion of warfare so close to him, Ivo searches several damaged vehicles for any sings of life until he finds Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Chechen mercenary still conscious. He recognizes him as the same man that had come asking for food days earlier.
Among the wreckage Ivo, with Margus’ help, also discovers several deceased men from both sides and Niko (Misha Meskhi), a Georgian soldier who has miraculously survived an injury to the head. Hoping to save them both, Ivo must now house the two mortal enemies in recovery under the same roof. He feeds them and takes care of their wounds like a strict, yet affectionate, father would. But the moment the two become aware of the other’s presence, their hatred comes to the surface instantly. Ivo’s efforts to keep them alive might prove too small to counteract their respective preset ideologies.
Ahmed promises to kill Niko as soon as the latter can stand on his feet. Ivo intervenes and requests that if any violence should take place, this should not happen inside his house. Grateful for what he’s done for them, both fighters agree to behave in a civilized manner while at Ivo’s place. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the tension completely subsides.
Urushadze capitalizes on the peculiar living arrangements with humor and casual exchanges between the two perennial adversaries and the diplomatic Ivo, which are at once enjoyable and insightful. War is constantly skulking outside the door throughout the film, yet “Tangerines” consciously focuses far more on the human component and reconciliation than the historical aspects of this specific conflict. Its pacifist message is clear, but wrapped around a cleverly written screenplay.
Occasionally, the minimalist approach might feel slightly theatrical, but this is often quickly rectified by Rein Kotov’s splendid cinematography: A breakfast sequences is transformed into an electrifying confrontation, the breathtaking landscapes sparkle with color, and every action-packed sequence is shot with tremendous effectiveness.
Purposely with a marvelous cinematic quality, “Tangerines” is a departure from other Easter European films that sport a gloomy, documentary-like, visual aesthetic. Here, while not overly stylized, each frame captures glimpses of hope in the form of beauty even in the midst of chaos.
Evidently, as even Niko points out in the film, the film industry of the region is underdeveloped and underfunded. Intelligently, Urushadze chose to ditch a story of epic proportions for something intimate in which whatever resources he had were channeled towards polished images and astounding performances.
Wise and strangely endearing Mr. Ulfsak's Ivo is the heart of this unforgettable story. He is the voice of reason, a skillful countryman, and someone who’s suffered profound losses but can still look at humanity with compassion. His no-nonsense way of doing things is efficient, fair, and often comical. Ulfsak’s performance avoids sentimentalism without being cold. He tells it like it is and it’s brilliant.
In such a contained production, every piece is a crucial element, and though Ulfsak unquestionably carries the action, the rest of the cast delivers equally memorable work. Nakashidze as the stubborn Ahmed experiences a change of heart that feels organic and believable. Meanwhile, Meskhi and his superior demeanor as an educated Tbilisi man expose the great difference between the two men not without highlighting moving similarities like their mutual fondness for music and religious tolerance.
Armed with a mountain of excellently conceived elements, including the exotic and mesmerizing score by Niaz Diasamidze, “Tangerines” is a near perfect work that manages to fully captivate with it’s honesty. Still, as the drama unfolds one can’t help but wonder about the significance of the eponymous citrus fruit. It’s perhaps an insignificant reason for these men to stay and work so hard day after day, but it’s a reason after all.
That’s what Urushadze’s film is about. Is not a philosophical exploration on violence, but a humanistic mediation on the tiny treasures of life that gain even more importance when death is so close in the horizon. “Tangerines” is a powerful achievement both in content and technique that strikes a rare balance between its mission to convey a message of peace and its ability to truly entertain. Not to be missed.
Now playing in L.A. at the Laemmle Royal, Laemmle Playhouse 7, and Laemmle's Town Center 5, and in NYC at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas...
- 4/26/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Tangerines
Written & Directed by Zaza Urushadze
Estonia|Georgia, 2013
Tangerines is the type of slow-builder that completely sneaks up on you. It’s like wandering through the fog of a spell until the magician snaps you back to reality. Director Zaza Urushadze has created a powerful anti-war statement without even raising his voice. War may be hell, but these characters call it home. Tangerines is an Oscar-nominated gem that showcases humanity at its horrifying worst and inspirational best.
It’s 1992 and the war is raging in Abkhazia. The rebel Abkhazians are battling to break free of Georgia, and a remote Estonian village is caught in the middle. Only two tangerine farmers remain in the long-deserted village. The first is Ivo (the great Lembit Ulfsak); a gentle old man who lovingly displays photos of his beautiful granddaughter on the mantle. He’s levelheaded, but indomitable. Every day he assembles rickety wooden crates in his “factory,...
Written & Directed by Zaza Urushadze
Estonia|Georgia, 2013
Tangerines is the type of slow-builder that completely sneaks up on you. It’s like wandering through the fog of a spell until the magician snaps you back to reality. Director Zaza Urushadze has created a powerful anti-war statement without even raising his voice. War may be hell, but these characters call it home. Tangerines is an Oscar-nominated gem that showcases humanity at its horrifying worst and inspirational best.
It’s 1992 and the war is raging in Abkhazia. The rebel Abkhazians are battling to break free of Georgia, and a remote Estonian village is caught in the middle. Only two tangerine farmers remain in the long-deserted village. The first is Ivo (the great Lembit Ulfsak); a gentle old man who lovingly displays photos of his beautiful granddaughter on the mantle. He’s levelheaded, but indomitable. Every day he assembles rickety wooden crates in his “factory,...
- 4/16/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Small in scale if huge in heart and scope, Tangerines uses four characters to limn the religio-nationalistic hostilities unleashed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1992. But what a foursome! Or, actually, make that what a one. Tangerines' lead, renowned Estonian actor Lembit Ulfsak, is cool-headed, even witty at times as Ivo, curtailing violence between two wounded, vengeance-driven enemies: Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Muslim Chechen mercenary for Abkhazia; and Niko (Mikheil Meskhi), a Christian separatist on the Georgian side. Admonishes Ivo, "No killing in this house." Maybe he should hire on at the U.N. Other ethnic Estonians were driven off the land, but Ivo is sticking it out in his farmhouse, helping a neighbor (Elmo Nüganen) h...
- 4/15/2015
- Village Voice
Tangerines Trailer. Zaza Urushadze‘s Tangerines (2013) movie trailer stars Lembit Ulfsak, Elmo Nüganen, Giorgi Nakashidze, Misha Meskhi, and Raivo Trass. Tangerines‘ plot synopsis: “Set in 1992, during the growing conflict between Georgia and Abkhazian separatists in the wake of the Soviet Union’s dissolution, this compassionate tale focuses on two Estonian immigrant farmers [...]
Continue reading: Tangerines (2013) Movie Trailer: Farmer Promotes Peace to Two Soldiers...
Continue reading: Tangerines (2013) Movie Trailer: Farmer Promotes Peace to Two Soldiers...
- 3/21/2015
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
"As soon as the tangerines are sold, I will leave." No, not Georgia the state. This film is from the country Georgia, next to Turkey and Armenia. Samuel Goldwyn has debuted their own trailer for a Georgian film called Tangerines, which was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar this year (though it lost to Ida, of course). Starring Lembit Ulfsak as Ivo, the film takes place in 1992 during the conflict between Georgia and Abkhazian separatists. Ivo has stayed behind to harvest his crops of tangerines, but encounters two injured soldiers of opposite sides who he takes in. It also stars Elmo Nüganen, Giorgi Nakashidze and Misha Meskhi. This looks solid and got great buzz (a few reviews), so it might be worth checking out. Here's the official Us trailer for Zaza Urushadze's Tangerines, direct from Samuel Goldwyn's YouTube: Set in 1992, during the growing conflict between Georgia and...
- 3/20/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Slaps an honest emotional sincerity and a dry, almost humorous pragmatism in the face of macho posturing and identity tribalism. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It’s an Enemy Mine sort of scenario in Georgian filmmaker Zaza Urushadze’s Tangerines — Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film — except it’s more kind of Enemy Theirs. Set during the Georgian civil war of the early 1990s, just after the breakup of the Soviet Union, this is the tale of elderly Ivo (the very Christopher Lee-esque Lembit Ulfsak) and his middle-aged neighbor Margus (Elmo Nüganen), ethnic Estonians who’ve stayed behind, while all their friends and family have fled back to Estonia, in order to bring in Margus’s crop of tangerines. One evening a firefight almost on their doorsteps in their rural mountain village...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It’s an Enemy Mine sort of scenario in Georgian filmmaker Zaza Urushadze’s Tangerines — Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film — except it’s more kind of Enemy Theirs. Set during the Georgian civil war of the early 1990s, just after the breakup of the Soviet Union, this is the tale of elderly Ivo (the very Christopher Lee-esque Lembit Ulfsak) and his middle-aged neighbor Margus (Elmo Nüganen), ethnic Estonians who’ve stayed behind, while all their friends and family have fled back to Estonia, in order to bring in Margus’s crop of tangerines. One evening a firefight almost on their doorsteps in their rural mountain village...
- 2/17/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
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