Risttuules

In the Crosswind" is a black-and-white slice of history that mixes live-action with living tableaux to provide a requiem for the inhabitants of the Baltic countries who, in the summer of 1941, were deported to Siberia or killed on Stalin's orders. Estonian Martti Helde's debut is an art film in every sense of the word; the extraordinary visual techniques he uses to convey a sense of being frozen in time won't be to all tastes, but those open to a different sort of cinema will find it a very poignant experience... Through well-modulated voiceover narration, the picture adopts the perspective of a pretty Estonian wife and mother, Erna (Laura Peterson), whose Siberian diary, with its acute observations, provides the inspiration for the film. There is no dialogue; instead, Helde employs a highly crafted sound design... Before June 14, 1941, Erna lives in a rural idyll with her husband Heldur (Tarmo Song), a farmer and member of the Estonian Defense League, and their young daughter Eliide... From the moment that the Soviet forces arrive at their farm, time takes on another dimension for Erna. To underscore this radical change, the style of the pic changes, too. As Erna's voice describes events and her feelings, the camera slowly pans, circles and snakes in between groupings of people, frozen in a moment of chaos and panic. Mothers reach out to their children, men grasp weapons, Soviet soldiers snarl. The tableau vivant style remains in effect until 1954, when Erna is allowed to return home.