Gate to Heaven (German: Tor zum Himmel) (2003)
Along with "The Terminal" & "Up In The Air" as excellent romantic comedies set entirely (or almost entirely) inside airports, this hidden gem is another unique winner from German director Veit Helmer. (The male lead actor, Valeriy Nikolaev, also had a minor role in "The Terminal"- coincidence?) The airport as a microcosm is a fascinating perspective and Helmer uses this to his advantage. Unlike the aforementioned American films, Helmer chooses to never show the public side of Frankfurt International Airport. Instead, audiences are immersed in the after hours, behind the scenes life in the airport- air strips, baggage conveyor belts, concourses, hangars, runways, terminals, and pipes and tunnels included!
This is the sixth film I've seen from him and even though they were not all overwhelming winners for me, they were nevertheless all creative, innovative, and memorable for their unique approach to storytelling. Honestly, it is a mystery why he isn't more widely known, especially in the arthouse film circles that typically adore these experimental and quirky perspectives.
With comedy sprinkled throughout the runtime, a couple quirky supporting characters with their own amusing side stories, and even a couple Bollywood style musical numbers thrown in for good measure, this feel good romance manages to address some serious issues (cultural acclimation, marginalized populations, racism, refugees struggling for asylum, socioeconomic status) without becoming too heavy handed.
We first meet our leading lady Nisha, a cleaning lady that aspires to become an airline stewardess. Her meet cute takes place in an empty airplane after hours where she practices reciting the pre-flight safety briefing to invisible passengers. Our leading man, Aleksei, chooses the same airplane to play out his piloting fantasies. They have instant chemistry and continue to make time for rendezvous in various airport locations, having fallen for each other practically at first sight. His competition is Nowak, a wealthy man out to set the Guinness World Record for having sex in the most places in an airport! Although Nisha has her heart set on Aleksei, Nowak unfortunately can offer the connections and the means necessary to get her hired as a stewardess.
Aleksei is a Russian refugee hiding out from the authorities by living in the engine room next to the pipes and vents in the airport. He works for Dak, a Yugoslavian who takes advantage of the desperate refugees, employing them in the airport for his profit. To be fair, he does have a compassionate side, evidenced by his willingness- albeit with a price- to find someone to smuggle in Nisha's son from India. Alas, things do not go according to plan and her adorable son is locked up and given a lawyer under deportation threat and Aleksei must save the day, lest Nisha resort to Nowak in order to get her son rescued!
Not flawless by any means- implausibility abounds- but this is a romantic comedy, after all, and audiences will be left not only laughing and smiling, but also with a little more insight into airports, cultural acclimation, and how love can overcome both language and physical barriers!
