Nominated as best foreign-language film this year, "Close to Eden" is a Russian-produced epic that explores a lifestyle in Inner Mongolia doomed for extinction.
The film's initial moments may leave the audience a bit perplexed, as it appears that this is an ancient period piece, focusing on a farming family that lives primitively on the vast, grassy steppes, miles from the nearest neighbor. They have no fences for their animals, no modern conveniences and seem, for the most part, content.
But hints are strewn along the way to bring us up to speed. This is more of a modern-day setting, though the specific time frame is vague throughout. And the family is an enigma.
The film's opening moments depict a mating ritual that seems to be a frighteningly crude chase-and-rape scenario. But appearances can be deceiving.
Soon there is dialogue about the law in China that forbids a minority couple to have more than three children - a number they've already reached, though the husband wants a fourth anyway. A utensil on display is a Swiss army knife and a young daughter plays classical music on her accordion. And yet, when a Russian visitor, who crashes his truck into a nearby moat, stumbles upon them, he watches in surprise as they calmly slaughter a sheep for dinner. He also marvels at the serenity he feels in this place.
Soon the Russian and the Mongolian travel together to the city, where they encounter an odd clash of modern and ancient lifestyles, where "civilization" has encroached and is rapidly taking over.
Culture clash is the central theme here but the film is largely without plot. Rather, this is a series of vignettes that show in ways both humorous and melancholy, that things are not always what they seem to be. There is also an underlying sense of tragedy that is brought home in the film's final moments.
The cast here is remarkable and the cinematography, with many panoramic shots of the steppes, is lush and hypnotic. But the pacing is very slow and there are many static scenes that will make this one slow going for all but dyed-in-the-wool foreign film fans.
In the end, "Close to Eden" is taxing but certainly the rewards make it worth the effort.
The film is not rated but is in PG-13 territory, with violence, profanity and discreet sex.