Synopsis

An old farmer Abga and his sixteen-year-old granddaughter Asida live withdrawn in the wilderness at the root of the mountains on the border between Georgia and dissevered Abkhasia. Unsafe though it might be, Abga decides to plant a small island that has recently emerged in the river. Together with Asida they build there a hut and seed corn. Later, as the corn is grown, a wounded fugitive soldier comes to the island in order to hide from the pursuit. Asida is attracted to the man and Abga struggles with fear of losing his granddaughter. The winner of the last-year Karlovy Vary Film Festival and a nominee of the Academy Awards this season takes the audience on a quite meditative journey which is to be experienced on many levels. This art-house picture enjoys a minimalistic form consisting of masterfully arranged, serene, almost hypnotic images of affecting, impressive beauty. With only scarce and short dialogues it manages to tell a simple and at the same time comprehensively broad and versatile story about life and survival, essence of nature and of existence all the way from creation to dissolution, about coming of age, search for freedom, as well as about war and violence. A great masterpiece and “an immersive sensory pleasure” (The Hollywood Reporter).