Absurdistan (2008)

82% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(535 ratings)

As the date on which Aya's grandmother predicted that the pretty young girl and her childhood sweetheart would consummate their relationship draws near, the frustrated couple finds their perfect moment threatened by a battle of the sexes that sweeps through their once-thriving village. There was a… More As the date on which Aya's grandmother predicted that the pretty young girl and her childhood sweetheart would consummate their relationship draws near, the frustrated couple finds their perfect moment threatened by a battle of the sexes that sweeps through their once-thriving village. There was a time when the village of Absurdian was considered a paradise, yet lately it looks like a dried-up wasteland due to a troubling shortage of water. Years ago, Aya's grandmother foresaw a night when the stars would align in the sky, and two young lovers would come together in a cosmic embrace. Now that night is drawing near, though the women in Absurdian have grown frustrated with the men of the village. Though young inventor Temelko believes he may have come up with a creative solution to the remote hamlet's water woes, his apathetic elders respond to the proposal with ridicule and disdain. As the women of Absurdian take a pledge of abstinence in response to male inaction, young lovers Temelko and Aya begin to question whether the encounter they have spent their young lives anticipating will ultimately be foiled by events beyond their control. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Veit Helmer
Written By: Zaza Buadze, Veit Helmer
Genres: Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 20, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Aug 18, 2009
Studio: First Run Features

Critic Reviews

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
Writer-director Veit Helmer creates a wildly imaginative world worthy of Gabriel Garca Mrquez at his most playful, drenching it in vivid color and a Slavic sense of bleak humor.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Despite its comedic limitations, this film is up to more than its American adolescent counterparts.
Reyhan Harmanci, San Francisco Chronicle
Makes for a lovely hour and a half of old-fashioned storytelling.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Has a folkloric charm buoyed by consistent comic inventiveness.
Dennis Harvey, Variety
Veit Helmer's latest is a delightful fable sans dialogue...is too enjoyable to go unappreciated offshore.
Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter
An attempt at comic allegory that stretches a thin premise to feature length.
Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
The trip to Absurdistan is worth taking, detours and all.
Aaron Hillis, GreenCine
A simplistic, straightforward tale that's beautifully staged with the same wave of the magical-realism wand that powers Jeunet & Caro's Delicatessen.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A funny and bawdy fable that playfully deals with community, a battle between the sexes, the preciousness of water, and the joy of young love.
Mike Scott, Times-Picayune
A lighthearted charmer, one of the most spirited and enjoyable comedies to hit ... theaters so far this year.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Absurdistan has more than a little bit of magic at its heart; it's a tale of love and perseverance, gently winking at its happy viewers.
Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper
The film isn't much more than light slapstick bookended by a sweet if lust-driven romance.
Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve
'Borat' meets 'Lysistrata' in a delightful, surreal tale filmed in Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Sarah Boslaugh, Playback:stl
Sometimes the village looks like an antique postcard come to life, at other times like outtakes from a lost Marx Brothers film or an overly precious PBS documentary.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
Absurdistan lives up to its name with its virtual nonstop drollery. And in Malerova the film has a most appealing leading lady.
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
Refreshingly offbeat, delightfully funny and irresistibly entertaining without a dull moment.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
As in "Tuvalu," Veit's style is reminiscent of both France's Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet ("Delicattessen") with their whimsical machinery and surreal worlds and Canada's Guy Maddin's use of silent film standards...
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Absurdistan moves with confidence and grace with a genuine romantic and erotic drive.
Ray Greene, Boxoffice Magazine
Full of whimsy but almost devoid of charm.
Tim Grierson, L.A. Weekly
Absurdistan doesn't have a ton of high-voltage laughs, but it's a nonstop charm machine.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

A young couple's about-to-be-consummated love is threatened when the women of their village organize a sex strike against the lazy townsmen who will not fix the pipe that brings water to the hamlet. Set in an exotic, timeless locale and so spare with it's dialogue that… More
A young couple's about-to-be-consummated love is threatened when the women of their village organize a sex strike against the lazy townsmen who will not fix the pipe that brings water to the hamlet. Set in an exotic, timeless locale and so spare with it's dialogue that it's almost like a silent movie; it's a lusty romantic comedy that manages to feel completely original without sacrificing the romance and sentimentality fans of the genre expect.
Mark A

A delightful absurdist fantasy of a young couple and their desire to come together while the stars auger well for their relationship. Somewhat of a Russian folk tale of how the women force the men of their village to repair the village water supply. Do not look for logic here. It is… More
A delightful absurdist fantasy of a young couple and their desire to come together while the stars auger well for their relationship. Somewhat of a Russian folk tale of how the women force the men of their village to repair the village water supply. Do not look for logic here. It is sorely lacking. But there is a bit of fun and the young woman, Aya (Kristyna Malerova) is an especially nice bit of eye candy. The landscape is stark and harsh, and the villagers barely eke out a living in a place that is left unclaimed by any country. Yet even here, passions can get inflamed and young love flourishes. Three stars and worth the view, if only for an introduction to another culture.