Film: Tears For Sale
Release date: 20th September 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 86 mins
Director: Uros Stajanovic
Starring: Katarina Radivojevic, Sonja Kolacaric, Stefan Kapicic, Nenad Jezdic, Olivera Katarina
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy/Romance
Studio: Icon
Format: DVD
Country: Serbia
Uros Stojanovic’s film is set just after the First World War. Almost a quarter of Serbia’s population died in WW1, a largely unsung tragedy of epic proportions. Strange then that such a warm and funny film should be borne out of such horror.
In the 1920s, the fallout from the First World War has decimated rural Serbia, and the tiny village of Pokrp is particularly in trouble. All the men have long since left to fight for their country only to die on the battlefield. All but one - a broken down, bed-ridden senior citizen.
When two inexperienced sisters (beautifully portrayed by Katarina Radivojevic and Sonja Kolacaric), desperate to find out what it's like to experience a man's love, accidentally kill off the only man in the village, the other women condemn them to death.
Desperate for any chance of a reprieve, the sisters offer to travel into the outside world and find a replacement for the deceased geriatric, and end up with two possibilities, both travelling conmen - a strongman (Nenad Jezdic) and a smooth-talking Casanova type (Stefan Kapicic). They can only bring one man back, though, so one of the sisters will have to sacrifice her new beloved, but which one?
A huge hit in its domestic market, this film could easily be read as one long meandering allegory for the state of the country's national psyche, zeitgeist and influences. Thankfully, though, where other directors might have gone for a downbeat art house feel in an attempt to lend the potentially disturbing subject matter a measure of gravitas, Stojanovic goes in the opposite direction. He evokes an inappropriate feeling of magical delight in the world he creates
Right from the opening, Tears for Sale displays a rich, vibrant (albeit computer-enhanced) palette that recalls Terry Gilliam, Gilliamesque, Jeunet and Caro, and a sense of theatrical grandeur that is tied together with a marvellous ‘rough around the edges’ visual energy - the special effects are less than perfect, and while many are absolutely stunning, quite a few hit their mark a lot closer to low-budget made for television fare.
The village isn’t just dying and fading away due to the lack of men, but because the last soldier left their vineyard filled with mines, and forgot to leave a map or instructions for anyone. The neighbourhood witch is a prototypical cackling sorceress - complete with skull headdress - who forces the spirit of the sisters' grandmother into ensuring a dreadful punishment should they fail to fulfil their bargain. The aforementioned strongman, shot from a cannon, literally soars through the clouds. The dead rise to haunt the living. However, it’s not just these scenes that lift us into the realm of fairytales. Even the set dressing is a riot of jumbled curiosities - as if Jim Henson decorated a TGI Fridays. It's a delightful mash-up of genres and influences in which the starting points are obvious enough, but where the background to the story affords the film an identity that is very much its own.
It may be worth mentioning that this cut of Tears For Sale is very short, maybe 80 minutes with the credits (although even the credits are gorgeous enough to merit watching). Also, at times, the plot skims through key scenes in a way that can sometimes seem a little alienating, even for those prepared to invest in the films artistic approach. Mind you, while the story may not gel into an obviously coherent whole, the meanings and subtexts are still conveyed clearly and inventively enough. This film is clearly much more than a Mardi Gras parade of striking imagery, and the acting is top notch, with the main performers produce some brilliantly nuanced performances.
The film is deliberately earthy, extrovert and entertaining. As a result, some of the symbolism is arguably a little too obvious, but even in the most over the top set pieces, there's always the feeling that there is a mine of painful subtext trapped beneath the surface of whatever's going on. Watching the women of the village fight over men, or dance with the ghosts of those who left, can be hilariously melodramatic, but also surprisingly heartbreaking.
All in all, though, the film remains a success; a witty, intelligent, and thankfully adult fantasy in a world that's beautifully realised, and where sex and death are thrown in for much more than gratuitous effect. While evoking occasional memories of great movies like Amelie or Pans Labyrinth, it's miles from perfect. But it's compelling, fulfilling stuff and a welcome contribution from a film industry that's very often overlooked. This is a nation's historical pain reincarnated as a raw, heartfelt, and irreverent piece of entertainment.
Tears For Sale is a beautiful and funny fairytale. This is a film where questions about why or how are forbidden. A film where logic is the enemy of enjoyment. Don’t question the plot twists - just sit back and let the magic carry you away. It's a love story - a bold, brash, shamelessly theatrical, heart tugging, tragic romance, and, as such, it's a hugely entertaining watch. PD
