The first Estonian film to be nominated for a Best Foreign Language Oscar, Tangerines takes place during the short but brutal war between Georgia and Abkhazia in 1992.
In a neutral Estonian village over the border most villagers have fled the encroaching conflict, but Ivo, an elderly farmer, stays behind to help his friend Magnus with the harvest, before it goes to waste.
The war soon arrives on Ivo’s doorstep when two Chechen mercenaries get into a firefight on the road leading to the farm. After the battle Ivo finds two survivors, both badly injured: one of the mercenaries and a Georgian soldier who is in a critical condition. Ivo devotes himself to caring for the two whilst trying to keep the peace between them – particularly as Ahmed, the Chechen mercenary is determined to take revenge for his fallen comrade as soon as he is well enough.
A deeply affecting anti-war movie, Tangerine stakes a simple story and weaves it into a rich drama; deftly balancing pathos, black humour and a pacifist critique of unnecessary violence. Zaza Urushadze’s assured direction is completed by the tremendous performance by Lembit Ulfsak, a veteran actor all too rarely seen on UK screens.
