WESTERN CWC D: Valeska Grisebach. Germany/Bulgaria/Austria. 119 min. Sep 9, 9:30 pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 Sep 11, 12:30 pm, AGO Sep 16, 12:30 pm, Scotiabank 4. Rating: NNN
Writer/director Grisebach infuses the conventions of the classic Hollywood western into this cross-cultural tale of German workers on a job site in the Bulgarian hinterland.
It’s a nuanced look at masculinity and cultural imperialism. Memories of German occupation still linger, and the European Union is just beginning to take hold. The foreigners’ show an aloofness and sense of superiority as they rub shoulders with the locals.
The leather-faced, taciturn Meinhard Neumann is a standout in a cast of believable non-professional actors. He’s the strong, silent type who rides above the fray on a white horse, raising the temperature of men on both sides.