KALĖDŲ EGLUTĖS GYVENIMAS IR MIRTIS

The glow of a neon orange sphere stands out from the dark green, less densely covered treetops. It is the protective helmet of a worker who goes about his dangerous work at a most dizzying height. In the background, the vastness of the Georgian forest can only be guessed at; having burned down almost 200 years ago, this is the place that the popular Nordmann fir, also known as the Caucasus fir, subsequently spread rapidly from. 80% of Europe's demand for Christmas trees is met by firs from Denmark, whose seeds are hand-picked, at times without safety equipment, here in the Tlughi forest at heights of up to 40 meters. Quite often with fatal consequences. In this documentary, Arturas Jevdokimovas sheds light on the links of a little-known production chain and the people involved in it: the cone harvest in Georgia, the memorial services for young workers who died in accidents, the harvest carried out by east European workers on Danish tree farms. The archive material of an entrepreneurial couple from Denmark, from their first business trip to Georgia, serves as the starting point for a pointed examination of two parallel worlds: between Denmark and Georgia, the film develops a cautiously critical view that penetrates beyond the contrasting living conditions of the individuals involved, all the way into our living rooms.

Text: Merlin Webers

06.11.2024 | 15:00 | Glad-House (original version with English subtitles + simultaneous translation into German)

10.11.2024 | 15:30 | Kammerbühne (original version with English subtitles + simultaneous translation into German)