Border crossing

A striking and ambitious film that seems to want to illuminate contemporary European society in the form of a love story.Anna, a young German woman (Susanne Lothar), has followed her lover Gary (Paul Brennon), who was in the RAF stationed in Germany, back to his home on Tyneside in North-Eastern England. In these climatically and economically depressing surroundings, the young couple manfully tries to scrape together an existence. This is especially trying for Anna. Just as they seem to be building something beautiful from the drudge, Anne gets the news that her father has suddenly died.The two immediately leave for Germany, where Anna has to stay longer than planned to look after the sale of her father’s business. Gary would rather go back to England, but takes a temporary job in Stuttgart. Anna’s activities take her to Zwickau in the former GDR where her father wanted to set up a new business.By the time Anna and Gary eventually return to England, they have been subjected to many aspects of a rapidly-changing Europe. In Border Crossing Stewart MacKinnon has managed to film his topical ideas about social and economic change in our society in a concrete and challenging way. The film is realistic with a documentary atmosphere yet – thanks to the distinctive music and repeated dream images – it has a poetic undertone. Border Crossing matches up to the best of Edgar Reitz’ Heimat.