"The first female directed Slovene narrative feature film, Guardians of the frontier follows three college girls on a canoe trip through the woods.As they travel down the Kolpa River, which separates the relatively affluent Slovenia from the downtrodden Croatia, they find themselves in the midst of a hallucinatory combination of nationalist and personal passions."
in Slovene with English subtitles
Guardians of the Frontier takes the viewer on the coming of age journey of three young women. The perspective is completely unbiased and neutral. Many aspects and dilemmas of life are presented, and the plot has no singular focus. The characters of the three young women are meticulously and realistically presented. They are very interesting and representative in their differences, which, by the film's end can be seen as archetypical in nature. This is the type of film which is compelling later, when one realizes how succinct and unique it is.
What is doubly striking about this film is that the director is also a woman. It is not a film by a man based on a man's concept of a woman. It is not male nor anti-male, it is operating on a whole different level. The whole film is presented from a distinctly female point of view and the perceptions, issues and context are fundamentally different. A man could just not make this film. The young women, the feel of their characters, their interpretation of the world, and the issues they face are genuinely and distinctly those of women.
The cinematography, like many Slovenian films, is striking, artistic, yet subtle. Clearly it was filmed on emulsion film. Considering it's traditional yet modern cinemagraphic style, a plot accurately representing a women's perspective, and that it is also directed by a woman, Guardians of the Frontier offers a satisfying contrast to Hollywood.
I saw this film at the NSK State in Time/Slovene Avant Garde exhibit in Seattle, November, 2004.
Thank You, Maja, and I look forward to seeing more creative work from you in the future.
