Safe Corridor (Shindisi) (2019)

An interesting anecdote from the Russo-Georgian War is used by Tsintsadze to bring his heartfelt narrative to life in his film featuring reality based footage: “A soldier comes across a burned Georgian village and is met with a bitter tale of grief and valor”. Dito Tsintsadze sets the pace for his documentary by painting the Eastern European village of Shindisi, which gives the film a beautiful touch because it’s delicate yet compelling.

Viewing Tsintsadze’s film is guaranteed to be an informed experience but his targeted audience will always seem to be Georgians with strong ties to the war. Regardless of bias and prejudice, people have to give credit where it is due. Tsintsadze is a brilliant storyteller and masterfully unravels the complex feelings of grief, loss and pain that stems from such events.

This is the second Tsintsadze’s feature film for the year, after his dark and haunting Inhale-Exhale about people’s deep seated hatred for those who are different. Shindisi has a less intricate moral approach which could be the reason why it has been selected as the Georgia’s candidate for the international feature film Oscar. It depicts the experience of warfare from multiple viewpoints, but is achieved with a subtle yet commanding power.

The news of the incoming Russians rendering the tranquil village in panic. Khatia and her husband Badri are forced to abandon their home, along with the older couples friend who never makes it out. The rest of his family scavages for any possessions and escape via oxcart or on foot, knowing they will never see their home again. The only remaining people in the village are old and stoic Badri with the sick Khatia, drunk and grieving Vazja with his teenage daughter who is burley and seems to be lost in a world of her own.

Vazja harnesses his grief rooted in anger, which gives him courage, and one assumes that the thought of Mariam makes it impossible for him not to shoot a Russian.

At the same time, some twenty lightly armed combat engineers are informed by a local sapper unit that a ceasefire has been declared and peace negotiations are in progress. They must not be harmed during the evacuation from the combat zone, but when the Russian forces incursions to the area with a tank and loads of ammunition, their faith is left in the hands of a young general brimming with spite (as villainously played by Dmitri Lupol). He leads their small column of trucks and jeeps into a remote area, where they are overwhelmed by superior forces and abandoned in an intense, yet accurately, illustrated scene of David and Goliath battle bravado.

When the gunfire stops it is understood that some Georgians survived, four or five of them. When Russians are cruising around the village, tampering them is risky for the villagers. Tsintsadze and his editor builds so much excitement regarding these night time rescues that Badri and Vazja together with Khatia and Mariam sneek out to save the Georgians, all completely unbothered as if they were simply shifting the cows to another pasture.

They enlist strong support from the Georgian Orthodox clergymen who are granted access to the village for the purpose of fetching the corpses. The tale peaks with ‘Khatia’ marriage to an ailing woman in a breath catching wedding ceremony. While the Russian officer and his soldiers are getting drunk, the old beard priests with other villagers outwit them in an unexpected way which gives the film an optimistic finish.

All the characters are creative and very unique in their characteristics yet without becoming stereotypes too fantastic to be real.

For more movies Visit Gomovies.