Penetrating documentary about the absurdity of the situation in the village of Slemence, which one day in 1946 suddenly found itself divided between two countries: Czechoslovakia and the Ukraine. The border was drawn at random. How political decisions on paper can have disastrous effects on the ground.
For seven years, a small film crew visited the inhabitants of the village Slemence, which in 1946 found itself divided between two countries from one day to the next: Czechoslovakia and the Ukraine (then still part of the Soviet Union). The cemetery, fields and whole families were split apart. The border, drawn at random, did not take into account the inhabitants, who now have to travel 150 km to the city to get a visa to visit the other side. Relatives call to each other over the fence to pass on the latest news about weddings and funerals.
The Slovakian documentary makers of The Border take a keen look at the absurd events that take place at their border. The director Jaroslav Vojtek and the experienced scriptwriter Marek Lescak (Blind Loves, 2008) were on the spot during the Slovak referendum for a mission to the EU, which made the border controls even stricter. They show unerringly how political decisions made on paper can have disastrous consequences on the ground.
PROGRAMMER NOTES
After having seen the festivities around the 20th anniversary, in November 2009, of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and having heard the words of the French President Sarkozy that he was happy that we are living in Europe without borders and walls, I had a strong urge to send him a DVD of this Slovak documentary. Just for him to see the truth about contemporary Europe and the still ongoing personal tragedies of people.
Some years ago, European bureaucrats built many borders between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, often dividing villages and families as well. Nobody seemed to care then and nobody has made a documentary about it. Nowadays, these borders have shifted further to the East, leaving former Slovakian borders with sad, greyish buildings as incomprehensible monuments of the recent past. The local authorities are desperate, not knowing what to do with them. In a small village of Slemence, they have recently erected a new, super modern border post. Some families still shout their messages to each other over it. The Slovak documentary maker Jaro Vojtek is one of the most talented of his generation, so let's hope we can enjoy more strong films like his The Border in the future.
LC