War in Georgia, Apkhazeti region in 1990. An Estonian man Ivo has stayed behind to harvest his crops of tangerines. In a bloody conflict at his door, a wounded man is left behind, and Ivo is forced to take him in. Mandariinid is another god awful and just slow paced drama that doesn't belong on this list at all. The acting was dumb, the characters were very boring and just the entire scenario was very disappointing to see. Overall a movie that will not really affect you that much but you won't even be remember the next hour or the next 15-20 minutes. (0/10)

In a world so ravaged by endless wars & poisoned with people hating one another, Tangerines (also known as Mandariinid) arrives as an elegantly crafted & sensibly told morality tale that exquisitely demonstrates the futility of war, hate & conflict and shows that beneath all the things that divides us, there lies a humanity which isn't exclusive to any one demographic.Set in a rural village during the 1992-1993 War in Abkhazia, Tangerines concerns an Estonian pacifist who brings two men from opposing forces to his house after finding them gravely wounded in a recent conflict. Nursing them back to health, he tries to dissipate the tension between the two enemies living under the same roof, both of whom have vowed to kill each other once they've recovered.Written, produced & directed by Zaza Urushadze, the film takes a simple premise and turns it into a thoroughly compelling drama that spikes in tension every now n then. Urushadze's approach to his material is grounded in realism as he handles the anti-war themes with precision and allows each character to chip in with their own views & beliefs which then finds a common ground as plot progresses.There are only four people that matter in the film, each exhibiting a certain depth & well-defined arc, and what the story pursues is the unity that develops between the two enemies as they slowly discard their prejudice after getting to know each other a bit more and learn to value the humanity in each other. The final act may not pack as strong a punch as expected but it nonetheless drives the point home.Despite the conflict raging nearby, the remote setting has a very serene feel to it that is further elevated by tangerine trees that infuse life into the deserted town. Camera is silently operated, often employing long takes, and allows each scene to unfold at its own pace. Editing is relaxed while the score beautifully complements the drama from start to finish. But the main highlight is the solid performances.Leading from the front is Lembit Ulfsak as the elderly & wise Ivo whose house is where the drama unfurls. His performance has a calm demeanour to it and it's an admirable work from the senior actor by all means. Giorgi Nakashidze & Mikheil Meskhi are in as the Chechen & Georgian soldier respectively and both play their part responsibly while Elmo Nüganen does well with his role as Ivo's neighbour & friend.On an overall scale, Tangerines is a thought-provoking, riveting & compassionate story of moral, honour, humanity & harmony with its heart at the right place. The nail-biting tension evident in the scenes involving the two enemies sitting in front of each other do make up for the film's finest moments but what really makes it a hopeful & rewarding experience is its timely, topical & universal themes. Well-deserving of a broader viewership, this Estonian gem comes highly recommended.

"Tangerines" is a war film quite unlike any other. It deals with the war in the Apkhazeti region of Georgia in 1990 and centres on an old man, a farmer growing tangerines, who gets caught up in the conflict. It's a very simple picture and a very humanist picture. The old man, Ivo, and his neighbour Margus don't want to take sides; the soldiers who die on their doorsteps are not enemies but simply other human beings, deserving of their care and respect. When two soldiers from opposing sides are wounded, Ivo tries to save both of them.It's a reasonably short film and it has the feel of a good short story and although set in the not-too-distant past it feels remarkably prescient, perhaps depressingly so for while the film deals with good people doing what they can for their fellow man, that goodness is not replicated elsewhere. A remarkable piece of work that should be mandatory viewing.

After the start of 1992 conflict between Georgia and the Russian-supported Abkhazia, most of the long-established Estonian settlements have been abandoned. Ivo has remained to build crates for his neighbor Margus' tangerines. The conflict arrives at their door step and they have two wounded fighters from opposing sides. Ahmed is a Chechen mercenary and Niko is the Georgian. Villager Juhan comes to treat the wounded.I applaud the movie's message. There is only one problem. I don't buy Ahmed's change of heart. The movie starts with great tension as Ivo deal with his unasked-for Chechen guests. Everything goes well until Ahmed falls under Ivo's spell and change his character. It doesn't seem earned by the movie. Despite some darker turns, this feels more like an attempted fable. Also the Georgian conflict feels quaint as the world slide further and further into darkness.