Western

Returning to film-making after a decade away, Valeska Grisebach confirms the good impression made with Be My Star (2001) and Longing (2006) with this bruising clash of macho cultures. While building a water supply plant in a remote Bulgarian enclave, tensions begin to rise between a German construction gang and the local villagers. However, it all seems like small beer to aloof new recruit Meinhard Neumann, who has seen action in Afghanistan and Africa. He even bonds with village bigwig Syuleyman Alilov Letifov over a white horse, which only serves to rile short-fused foreman Reinhardt Wetrek, who has wound up his hosts by harassing the womenfolk and flying a German flag over the camp. The nods to the Hollywood western extend beyond cinematographer Bernhard Keller's glorious homages to John Ford and the strutting performances of the outstanding non-professional leads. But, while Grisebach is fascinated by the universality of male posturing, she also follows producer Maren Ade's lead from Toni Erdmann (2016) in exploring Germany's condescending attitude to its eastern neighbours.