For Tina, a genetically deformed Swedish customs officer, life goes by day by day. However, Tina has a unique ability – she has an incredible sense of smell, and can literally smell fear or shame on a human. She has always struggled with finding acceptance, but more importantly she wants to truly discover herself. One day a suspicious man named Vore, who shares similarities, catches the attention of Tina and an animalistic bond begins to form in Iranian-Swedish director Ali Abbasi’s adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s short story Border (Gräns).
Stories of a character finding who they truly are have been done in the past, but none like this film. Abbasi has taken Lindqvist’s tragic and heartfelt short story and created a fantastical and superbly-crafted film that will bewilder, intrigue and captivate audiences. Tina (played by the terrific Eva Melander) is one of the most complex and human characters depicted on screen in recent memory. Her grounded performance truly accentuates her daily internal struggles with human connection and, as her character develops over the course of the narrative, her portrayal blossoms into a whole other behemoth.
It’s hard to pin down an exact genre for Border as so many lines between romantic drama and fantasy are blurred by Abbasi’s critical direction. Tina’s home, which itself is an isolated place, feels claustrophobic yet has tons of character. The neighbouring wilderness with winding trees and roots allow for some later scenes between Tina and Vore to really capture the essence of freedom and progression that they as characters are experiencing.
The central plot is viscerally explored with some honestly heartbreaking scenes between Tina and her ill father. It’s never used as a conventional tool to advance the story, but instead is interwoven perfectly into Tina’s innermost traits. Along with that, many subtle scenes that take place in the first act have actual significance when the film reaches its climax. From Tina discovering a bug whilst waiting for her shift to start, to her commitment to see things through to the end – it all makes complete sense in the grand scheme of the film.
With captivating and grounded performances by our lead cast and some truly breathtaking storytelling, Border is a human story like you’ve never seen before.
BORDER / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ALI ABBASI / STARRING: EVA MELANDER, EERO MILINOFF, JORGEN THORSSON / RELEASE DATE: 8TH MARCH
