Synopsis
“There was a time when Austria’s eastern border was the line between East and West. And the military guarded it until 2004.” This insert introduces “Crossing Boundaries.” “Lush grass now covers the stories from those days.”
One of these stories, which Florian Flicker tells in this film, plays out in the summer of 2001. It takes us to the meadows next to the March River, the borderland between Austria and Slovakia. A tavern lies surrounded by lush vegetation, in remote tranquility. Normally, solely solitary hikers occasionally make a brief stop here – and army recruits keep an eye on the border zone from nearby watchtowers. One of them is Ronnie (20), and he will cause turmoil in the smoothly functioning lives of the couple running the tavern.
The couple has a second source of income on the side: Local fisherman Hans (38) and his wife, Jana (33), help illegal migrants get across the border. The Austrian army suspects what’s going on, though there is still no proof. So Vice Lieutenant Fuchs sends the young newcomer Ronnie to get close to Jana: He likes her, and he’s expected to be friendly to her and Hans, “Jana in particular – and keep your eyes peeled. If you notice anything, tell me about it, and I’ll have you sent back to Vienna.” The young man continues his clumsy flirting with the woman.
“Fuchs sent him here, he’s a Mata Hari, I’m telling you.” Hans, his mistrust aroused, suspects immediately that Ronnie’s interest in Jana is nothing more than a pretext – and he encourages Jana to respond to the young soldier’s advances. Or at least to seem to. So that Ronnie and Fuchs, his superior, think they have the upper hand, and to distract them while Hans helps more migrants across the border.
Unwillingly, Jana agrees to play this dangerous game involving freedom and independence, which gets more and more out of hand emotionally. Tight-lipped Hans’ actions push Jana toward Ronnie, who treats her with tenderness. On the other hand, she can’t trust him.
The plans that had tied her to Hans until a short time ago – renovating the building for the tourists expected after the fall of the Iron Curtain – become increasingly unlikely.
“Leave me out of your game,” she hisses at Hans and Ronnie after throwing the mobile phone Hans was using to discuss the border crossing at Ronnie. This gives the soldier the evidence he needs to turn the couple in, thus fulfilling his mission.
But he shows up at the tavern again.
Hans slowly begins to realize that he’s unable to stop the affair he pushed his own wife into. So he acts, violently at first, then by negotiating with his opponent. And the two men come to an agreement, though without consulting Jana - the woman reacts in a way neither of them expected.
Florian Flicker’s “Crossing Boundaries,” inspired by Karl Schönherr’s “Weibsteufel,” is a minimalistic and powerful romantic drama. After his “Der Überfall” he once again manipulates the strings attached to a trio’s fate. What begins quietly will end with a bang: “love is a warm gun.” And it’s loaded with love and passion, betrayal and intrigue, loss of control and dignity. And indecisiveness…