At the moment things are quiet in Abkhazia, the semi-autonomous Caucasian mini state. Too quiet, says Minister of Sports Rafael. As stubborn and single-minded as Don Quixote he wants to use sports to bring back former glory to Abkhazia – after all, it worked under the Soviets. Ignoring the rusted ships that litter the beaches like stranded whales and the hopelessly decrepit mansions along the esplanade of Sokhumi, he fights for his event: a domino world championship. With admirable determination Rafael braves all obstacles: the lack of electricity, the lack of talented athletes and the tears of his wife, Moscow singer Natasha, who gave up her country for him. She feels foreign and crushed in the cultural conflict between Russia and Georgia who both claim territory in this region. Elwira Niewira and Piotr Rosołowski link the private family disputes of a mésalliance with the sometimes absurd political reality of Abkhazia with near masterly flair. Like the couple who have yet to find each other, the country is looking for its identity. In any case, the resonant pop song about the Abkhazian capital is more than a beginning.
Cornelia Klauß
Golden Dove in the German Competition 2014
