The first thought Carpathians’ bring to one's mind, is the horror classic by Roman Polanski, "Dance of the Vam-pires". Beyond the Dracula-cliche and the picture of the inhospitable, snow-ed in countryside, the documentary "Carpathia," by Andrzej Klamt and Ulrich Rydzewski, deals with the mountain range from another perspec-tive. The dour, sweet mountain terrain stretches from the Ukraine up to Slovakia. It is the geographical frame of the film. Away from "common people Voyeurism," the filmmakers put their accent on the inhabitants and their life concepts and compulsions. A Slovakian circus director dreams of success in Australia; a melancholic polish ferryman carves Jesus figures but not because he feels the need to, and as he points out, he does it for the money. In front

of a blacksmith's unplastered house in the Transylvanian wilderness, a lively birthday party takes place. "Carpatia" gathers people that are not driven on by simple-minded con-tent, but know that only calmness can help them to master life's ad-versities. A worthwile cinematic land surveying.

Eva Baumgardinger
Blimp/ Ray; festival newspaper of the Diagonale 2004, Graz