In 1927, a scientific institute was set up in Abkhazia, a beautiful subtropical former-Soviet republic, where revolutionary research was carried out into diseases like cancer. At the time it was the pride of the country, the ape colony was unique in its kind and American institutes built laboratories based on the Abkhazian model. After the destructive civil war with Georgia in 1992-93, little is left of the old glory. The buildings have decayed and the colony of monkeys has largely fled into the mountains, where they probably haven’t survived the winters.
The mainly elderly staff are trying to rebuild the institute as best they can, urgently looking for financiers to restore the buildings and an international conference has been organised to mark the 80th anniversary, one that everyone is looking forward to.
This conference forms the moving apotheosis of this documentary by IDFA’s First Appearance winner Astrid Bussink. The idea for it came about when she read in a newspaper about experiments somewhere in Russia in which attempts were made to cross humans with apes. With great love and meticulous precision, she recorded the desperate restoration attempts by the staff, who regard the institute as a symbol of the decay in their country. Not too sombre, but lightened with tragicomic elements, the film provides a beautiful picture of the power of dreams and illusions. (JJ)
Film details
- Country of production
- Netherlands
- Year
- 2008
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2008
- Length
- 70'
- Medium/Format
- Betacam Digi PAL
