classicsoncall Review of Tangerines

Tangerines (2013)

"Don't be surprised. There are people worth their word."

[10/10 · 28 July 2018]

I've always been of the opinion that if you took any number of children at birth of diverse nationalities, ethnicities and religions, and allowed them to grow up together without any preconceived biases, they would grow up respectful and tolerant of each other, and more importantly, attain a friendship among themselves. I think that's what's at the heart of "Tangerines" once you strip away such connotations as 'Chechen', 'Georgian', 'Abkhazian' and 'Russian'. Because after all is said and done, people are just people, and have no reason to hate each other at face value. It's only when one's particular background is revealed that someone of a differing circumstance begins to exhibit prejudice and bias. The film, and the actions of Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak), Margus (Elmo Nüganen) and doctor Juhan (Raivo Trass), in overlooking the enmity between Chechen Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze) and Georgian Nika (Misha Meskhi), help the two enemies see each other as humans on the opposite side of a struggle for which there will ultimately be no winners or losers when it comes to the finality of death. Particularly poignant is the final scene, in which we learn the reason why Ivo will not return to Estonia, while offering his assurance to Ahmed that he would just as soon have buried him next to his own son in the same manner as Nika (only a little further away, to add an element of ironic humor to the story). I thought this was a thoughtful and provocative film with a discernible message of tolerance in a hate filled world, though at the same time, I have no illusions that a message as simple as the one delivered here, would have any impact on the those whose ideologies take precedence over humanity.