DOLINA

The small town of Bogdanski Dolina lies in some remote corner of Eastern Europe. The once flourishing community has been in decline ever since suffering catastrophic floods – as if the torrents washed away the place’s soul. Cut off from the world, the lethargic and impoverished inhabitants take each day as it comes. A vile stench hangs over the whole place because toxic waste materials were used to build dykes after the floods. And the helpless population is being tyrannized by an enigmatic and authoritarian chapter of priests who’ve occupied their town.
The announcement of a visit from the Archbishop ushers in feverish activity to clean up Bogdanski Dolina for the great day. However, instead of the religious dignitary a stranger appears – just like in the dream of Mauzi, a girl who works in Colentina Dunka’s hairdressing salon. Gabriel Ventuza has ceased trading herbs and medicines in Western Europe and come back to Bogdanski Dolina to collect the mortal remains of his father, a notorious human trafficker. This turns out to be more difficult and costly than he thought. The priests are most displeased to have a stranger in town – unlike the girls at the hairdresser’s, who immediately fall in love. And there is also Petrus, Colentina’s foster-son. He’s determined to win Mauzi for himself, and spares no effort to hinder Gabriel’s efforts.
Zoltán Kamond’s screen adaptation of Ádám Bodor’s novella “The Archbishop’s Visit” paints a bizarrely surreal picture of a place that time forgot – and delivers a parable on Eastern Europe in transition after the collapse of the old systems.