Tesnota', a film directed by 26-year-old Kantemir Balagov, impresses with its rugged authenticity, its uncompromising standards and its bold aesthetic option, all the more as this is the young filmmaker's first fiction.
Based on a real fact that took place in 1998, in the town of Nalchik in North Caucasus, 'Testnota' tells the sad story of a Jewish family, hitherto barely tolerated - like the rest of their community - by the rest of the population of this Kabardino-Balkar republic of Russia. One unfortunate day, the precarious situation the Kofts are in (Avi Koft is a modest garage owner) is challenged by the abduction of the family's son, David, the very night he got engaged to Lea. A large ransom is demanded, so high that they cannot afford to pay it. And, for some reason, calling the police is out of the question... The rest the story is for you to discover but be assured that it is eventful.
The backbone of the tale is Ila, David's rebellious older sister, played with dark incandescence by a talented newcomer named Darya Jovner. Craving for freedom, Ila does only what she has decided to do, like loving who she has chosen (a Kabard instead of a Jewish boy) or doing the job she is fond of (being a mechanic for her father for free rather than having a paid office work), and although the director's (and accordingly our) sympathy goes to her, the strong-willed girl cannot but make things even more complicated than they already are. This is one of the reasons why, even if this is deliberately not an action flick (the kidnapping remains off camera for instance), tension appears early in the narration and never abates until the final scenes. Simply, the suspense stems from the characters' attitudes and their confrontations rather than from car chases or other stunt set pieces. And at that, Balagov (who has studied cinema with the famous Aleksandar Sokurov) is already a past master. The characters all being in disagreement with each other guarantees a series of powerful scenes, not unlike the best ones in Tennesse Williams or Edward Albee's theater. It goes without saying that to reach such a level, it takes great performers, which is the case here. The already mentioned Darya Jovner is well supported particularly two other noticeable thespians, Olga Dorunova (as the suffering but intolerant mother) and Atrem Tsypin (as her mild husband always trying to round the squares).
Artistically speaking, 'Tsenota' is also some kind of an achievement. The choice of the 1.37 ratio for one is particularly relevant as it enhances the feeling of suffocation experienced by the Koft family members. The work on colors, translating into visual sensations the feelings they are going through at a given time (blood red, electric blue, etc) is equally meaningful and remarkable.
Not that 'Tesnota' is absolutely perfect. A few scenes drag on (the deflowering and the nightclub scenes, for example). Worse, a slaughter video is shown full-time in all its graphic details. It lasts and lasts and serves no other purpose than to show the young Karbads who are watching it remain indifferent to the sufferings of the victims, which we would have understood as easily without such a display of complacency. What is the point of dwelling so much on the matter? WE do not approve of the Chechens' methods, even if WE think their fight is justified . So, why are WE, poor viewers, condemned to endure such horrors for such long minutes ? To be persuaded of what we were convinced in the first place? Quite debatable!
But, apart from such occasional shortcomings, 'Tesnota' undoubtedly is an outstanding work. An interesting description of a little known place, a well chosen starting point that holds its promises, exceptionally well directed actors, an in-depth psychological and sociological study, an artistic achievement, all these points contribute to make the film it a must-see and Kantemir Balagov a director to follow.
11 Reviews
Kidnapped in Caucasia...
Xstal26 July 2020
Focusing on a teenage daughter in a Jewish family whose brother is kidnapped and held for ransom. The inequality and desire to fit into a prejudiced culture, the pain of growing up and being treated like a child. Contains a piece of video that emphasises what could happen to hostages but is extremely sickening and gratuitous and could spoil the film for some.
An intriguing debut
hawk3109513 November 2019
A really interesting debut from Balagov that earned him the favour of critics at the Cannes film festival in 2017.
This movie represents a very deep dive in the patriarchal culture, permeating Russia and North Caucasus in general, how the women struggle with the lack of ability to choose their own path, the way they are treated by their parents and everyone around them. At the same time, it is also a dive into the idea of toxic mother's love, that gets overbearing and, at times quite literally, to the point of choking the children.
Also, about the violence, which some of the previous rewires have deemed unnecessary - unfortunately, it was necessary, as it drives the plot and the ethnic conflict between the native ethnicities of North Caucasus and everyone else. It is also an important contextual detail to understanding why the family feels alienated.
This movie represents a very deep dive in the patriarchal culture, permeating Russia and North Caucasus in general, how the women struggle with the lack of ability to choose their own path, the way they are treated by their parents and everyone around them. At the same time, it is also a dive into the idea of toxic mother's love, that gets overbearing and, at times quite literally, to the point of choking the children.
Also, about the violence, which some of the previous rewires have deemed unnecessary - unfortunately, it was necessary, as it drives the plot and the ethnic conflict between the native ethnicities of North Caucasus and everyone else. It is also an important contextual detail to understanding why the family feels alienated.
Thoughtful and unforgettable
linistea16 January 2021
This movie is amazing and thought provoking, though difficult to watch at times. But no more difficult to watch than real life, real life of people trapped in wars they didn't create, women trapped in family roles decided for them, real life of small communities divided by identity wars where there is disregard and cruelty for the other just because they are part of another "tribe". There is a real footage of gruesome violence by Chechen militants that brought a lot of critique and controversy. The fact that people complain about this only shows their privilege: they have the power to complain about seeing that in the safety of their environment, on a tv screen. Real people who grew up witnessing and living through that don't have any power to complain about it.
One Jewish girl in the Caucasus
Zhorzhik-Morzhik8 March 2020
"Closeness" is a chamber drama by Kantemir Balagov, a new generation Russian director and student Aleksandr Sokurov. One must have great courage to show age-old problems from the life of the mountain peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria at the end of the last century. What does it mean to be a beautiful proud Jewish girl in a city where Caucasian traditions and customs have developed over centuries? And somewhere nearby, maybe the Chechen war is already going on ...
Heads up about problematic content in this film
r-j-stopford15 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Great Director (really enjoyed Beanpole) and was enjoying this, but the film contains real film footage of Russian soldiers being killed: someone has their throat cut. I'm not going to argue the case as to why this is a problem here. I read the director's reasons for including the footage; I think they are very poor reasons. Anyway, I would have liked a heads up about this content so here's that heads up for anyone else.
No way, I didn't like it. Spoilers? Probably.
minunimion7 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know, I didn't like it. The girl is not likeable, at the certain point you would think... why didn't they kidnap her instead of her brother and her brother's girlfriend? Of course, then it would have been another movie... yes, that's my point, it should be another movie. Then a footage of a real snuff involving murders. Was it necessary? It seems they finished the ideas to go on. Wait... what can we do now? Put a footage of a real snuff! Yes, nice! In the end you feel yourself empty, you can't realize what you watched. Obviously it's just my opinion, for someone else can be a masterpiece, so judge it by yourself, but remember that there's a real snuff, it happens in a tv documentary, but it's quite clear and you see what they do and you can hear the people screaming. No, I'm not giving more than 4, sorry.
Unneeded extreme violence.
cavkie18 May 2019
Just a heads up for anyone who is thinking to watch this movie. There is a really gruesome documentary scene of killing prisoners of war. If you don't want to see agonising death of real people, which does not add much to a plot of the movie, just move on. To the director, here is an idea to you: next time add funky town videotape in your film (please don't)
A rather boring story brought to the headlines by real killings
gc-173657 December 2020
First off there was no reason at all to include video footage of real people being savagely killed
Except to bring the film to the headlines everywhere in the hope people will watch it
The rather long scene added absolutely nothing to the somewhat boring teenage angst movie
Not a film to be recommended lightly and probably avoided to deter the director from thinking this is what normal people like watching regardless what he saw in his youth
The rather long scene added absolutely nothing to the somewhat boring teenage angst movie
Not a film to be recommended lightly and probably avoided to deter the director from thinking this is what normal people like watching regardless what he saw in his youth
Boring
bubulac12 June 2023
Boring from the beginning to the end.
Although it was supposed to be about the kidnapping of a couple, the kidnapping itself takes back seat to all kinds of mostly unrelated stuff.
The movie is painful to watch due to the extremely slow pace.
Scenes of extreme violence shown unexpectedly - before I even had time to wind it fast forward.
Most of the characters are more than abnormal, I would say deviants.
The soundtrack is horrible, my wife who is native russian speaker was not able to understand more than 20-30% of what was being said, so she had to rely on the English subtitles.
Conclusion: cinematography at its worst.
Although it was supposed to be about the kidnapping of a couple, the kidnapping itself takes back seat to all kinds of mostly unrelated stuff.
The movie is painful to watch due to the extremely slow pace.
Scenes of extreme violence shown unexpectedly - before I even had time to wind it fast forward.
Most of the characters are more than abnormal, I would say deviants.
The soundtrack is horrible, my wife who is native russian speaker was not able to understand more than 20-30% of what was being said, so she had to rely on the English subtitles.
Conclusion: cinematography at its worst.
Rough movie with unneeded violence
iome-7069716 October 2019
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