# Wo der Himmel die Erde trifft (2000)

### reviewed by
Steve Rhodes

    WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE LAND
    A film review by Steve Rhodes
    Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes
    RATING (0 TO ****):  * 1/2

Frank Müller's languid documentary, WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE LAND, is set in a remote village, 14,000 feet up, in the republic of Kirgizstan. Heavy on village minutia (washing dishes, baking bread, riding motorbikes and playing boom boxes), the film lacks anything approaching a compelling narrative. The best that could be said of it is that, with its visual splendor, it could be dramatically trimmed down and made into a dynamite travelogue.

The movie's central character is a gentle, 64-year-old Kirgiz woman, who looks at least a decade older. Some people come to resemble their dogs. This woman, thanks to her diet and the searing sun, has become the spitting image of her bread, which she bakes in a pan on an outdoor fire. Round, puffy and ruddy, her face has a worn complexion but a cherubic smile. Her prayers to God involve blessing the car and asking him for more vodka.

The film generally eschews dialog and is composed instead with long silent sections involving simple village life, much like the documentary ENDURANCE. This can have a sleep-inducing effect on the audience.

There is a subtheme of the despoliation of the environment by a new gold mine nearby. The miners, however, seem to be the happiest of all, so the message about progress destroying the local culture doesn't acquire much traction.

American movies featuring animals are obliged to include a disclaimer in the closing credits stating that no animals were harmed during the making of the film. WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE LAND could make no such declaration. Among the few scenes of any dramatic tension in the movie are a couple of sickening ones involving goats. One live goat is butchered in front of our eyes. In another scene, we witness a goat taking the place of a polo ball in some native game. To be fair, the documentary didn't cause these events to occur. It just recorded them.

WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE LAND runs 1:15. The film is in English and Kirgiz with English subtitles. It is not rated but might be an R for the above-mentioned animal sequences. The film would be acceptable for teenagers.

The film will be playing as part of the San Francisco International Film Festival (http://www.sfiff.org), which runs April 20 to May 4, 2000. It does not currently have a United States release date.

Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com

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