Absurdistan--Film Review
by Karen Pecota
Director, Veit Helmer, together with his team of screenwriters (Zaza Buadze, Gordon Mihic, Ahmet Golbol) concocts a whimsical tale that tests the limitations of true love. His trademark is to take an idea, using visual imagery, unconventional resources and absurd measures to communicate his message. A master craftsman, he is indeed! Obvious is Helmer’s creativity and experience to take his audience to no-here and develop an unforgettable somewhere.
In the middle of nowhere, a small village runs out of water which curtails their happy existence. The aqueduct built by the village ancestors, stretching from the mountain springs to the village door, is so complex that the younger generation has forgotten how it works. The villagers are distraught! Even more so are the village’s known childhood sweethearts, Aya (Krístýna Maléřová) and Temelko (Maximilian Mauff). Their hope to experience eternal love is now in jeopardy.
A few years earlier, Aya’s grandmother was the first to hear of the couple’s announcement of their affection. At that time, she felt they were too young to fulfill their commitment physically but declared that in four years to the date, the position of the stars would appear in a perfect formation and at the exact time, their first night of love would be consecrated, but only after they separately each had fully bathed. They gladly accepted the challenge of celibacy in order to receive the revered desired blessing.
Temelko and Aya now panic stricken as they watch the stars coming closer to the perfect alignment. The chance for their eternal bliss could easily pass them by unless water miraculously appears to provide for each of them a full bath. Temelko uses his ingenuity, in a last ditch attempt, to restore the water supply from the mountain to the village. The absurd measure Temelko takes to combat against uncanny villagers is beyond comprehension; but, then again, there in lays Absurdistan’s tale concerning the unusual fate of Temelko and Aya’s and their undying love.
