Legendary French actor Denis Lavant, best known for his collaborations with “Annette” director Leos Carax, has found the latest role he will disappear into.
Lavant is set to star in “Blood Burn,” a French-Georgian gangster thriller which is currently being presented in the Locarno Film Festival’s Alliance 4 Development program.
The film hails from first-time feature director Akaki Popkhadze and is based on his own experiences of immigrating from Georgia to the “poor neighborhoods” of Nice when he was 13 years old.
Set in that environment that Popkhadze knows like the back of his hand, the action in “Blood Burn” kicks off when a pillar of the local Georgian community is murdered. His son Tristan, who aspires to become an orthodox priest, finds himself alone with his grieving mother. Then Gabriel, his older brother with a troubled past, returns from a long exile to try and make amends by washing away his family’s honor.
Lavant is set to star in “Blood Burn,” a French-Georgian gangster thriller which is currently being presented in the Locarno Film Festival’s Alliance 4 Development program.
The film hails from first-time feature director Akaki Popkhadze and is based on his own experiences of immigrating from Georgia to the “poor neighborhoods” of Nice when he was 13 years old.
Set in that environment that Popkhadze knows like the back of his hand, the action in “Blood Burn” kicks off when a pillar of the local Georgian community is murdered. His son Tristan, who aspires to become an orthodox priest, finds himself alone with his grieving mother. Then Gabriel, his older brother with a troubled past, returns from a long exile to try and make amends by washing away his family’s honor.
- 8/8/2021
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
“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
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