24 Frames is dedicated to foreign and independent film. If you've come looking for reviews of over-hyped Hollywood blockbusters, you've come to the wrong place. This column focuses on those movies that generally receive little publicity and that you might not otherwise hear about. Many of the films that will be reviewed on this page are not currently in release, but are available on VHS and DVD.

_________________________________________

TUVALU
Comedy/drama/romance
Germany, 1999
Directed by Veit Helmer from a screenplay by Michaela Beck & Veit Helmer
Starring Denis Lavant and Chulpan Khamatova
Advisory: Nudity
Distribution: Indican Releasing (U.S.); Mongrel Media (Canada)
Status: currently in limited release in the U.S. (April 2002)

    Chulpan Khamatova & Denis Lavant

My intial reaction was "this is a very strange film." However, I soon found myself being drawn deeper and deeper into the bizarre fantasy world created by Michaela Beck and Veit Helmer, while being completely won over by the talents of Denis Lavant and Chulpan Khamatova.

Nearly devoid of dialogue, Tuvalu relies on the physical expressiveness of its cast to convey the story. The style of the film is reminiscent of the movies of the silent era and also of the work of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who is known for Delicatessan, The City of Lost Children, and Amelie. The movie is mono-chromatic, having been hand-tinted in a "brighter-than-sepia-tone" and blue, and occasionally green. The result is a film that is visually striking, filled with dramatic contrasts - from open, barren landscapes to the closed, intricate spaces of a bathhouse. Production design and cinematography are exceptional.

Tuvalu is set primarily in a decrepit bathhouse (in Sofia, Bulgaria) that is on the verge of physical and financial ruin, in part because the ticket seller accepts buttons in lieu of cash. The bathhouse owner's devious and greedy son, Gregor, plots to have the building demolished to make way for new development. His brother, Anton, played by Denis Lavant, battles to preserve the building against the onslaught of Gregor's machinations, an uptight building inspector, and the designs of a beautiful, young visitor, Eva, portrayed charmingly by acclaimed Russian actress Chulpan Khamatova.

    Eva likes to swim naked with her goldfish

The socially-awkward and much put-upon Anton quickly falls in love with Eva, but when her father is killed in a bathhouse accident, she blames him and makes Anton the target of her anger and grief. Eva dreams of escaping her troubles by sailing away to the south pacific island nation of Tuvalu, but in order to get her boat in running condition she requires a rare part from the Imperial, the beautiful, antique machine that controls the water level and temperature in the bath.

    Eva and the Imperial

Eva conspires with Gregor against Anton and his father, leading to an ingenious chase and physical struggle through the various 'layers" of the bathhouse. But when Eva learns that it is actually Gregor who is responsible for her father's death, she reunites with Anton in a last ditch effort to thwart Gregor's plans.

Beck and Helmer deliver numerous complications and are very clever in the ways in which they resolve them. They present us with scenes that are memorable, such as Eva swimming naked with her goldfish (for the innocence), the funeral scene (surreally beautiful), and the race to save the Imperial from the flood. And unlike with so many American films, they resolve their story in a highly satisfying fashion and entirely without contrivance.

    Denis Lavant & Chulpan Khamatova

Highly athletic, Denis Lavant's Anton reminds one of Buster Keaton with a little Marcel Marceau thrown in for good measure. Lavant is very sympathetic and convincing as the love-struck hero. The French actor has appeared in over two-dozen films, including Lovers On the Bridge and Beau travail.

Chulpan Khamatova, as plucky, determined Eva, possesses a screen presence and charisma seldom seen since the 1940's. The trilingual (Russian, German, English) thespian has been called the best actress in Russia, and certainly deserves a look from American film producers. Khamatova has been acclaimed for her performances in Luna Papa, The Land of the Deaf, Time of a Dancer, and the stage play The Diary of Anne Frank, among others.

    Chulpan Khamatova

Tuvalu is one of those rare films that gives moviegoers the opportunity to see the art of the motion picture through new eyes. Inventive and engaging, it crosses boundaries and makes us want to come along for the journey. Made for less than two million dollars it, ironically, delivers more fun than most big-budget Hollywood "ride" movies. As such, Tuvalu earns my highest recommendation.

Other reviews of Tuvalu:

CE-Review
Apollo Movie Guide
Rotten Tomatoes
Internet Movie Database

Official site:
Tuvalu