nalasa1

Chantal Akerman's film is a sort of documentary of Eastern Europe and Russia after the Berlin Wall fell and Communism was basically abolished. You are shown beautifully filmed winter pictures in various countries with crowds of people waiting for buses and/or trains. Some scenes are quite effective: a long sequence in some train station, people dancing in some club. Most of the faces Akerman shows look unhappy. I have heard some Eastern Europeans say that they were at least secure under Communism but were left in the lurch when they had to immediately fend for themselves. I suppose that is Akerman's point. What bothered me most was that I had no idea where the filming was taking place. In what country or city where were the streetcars and snow covered roads? As a traveler, I found this quite frustrating. Occasionally you hear people shouting in some language but there is no translation.