Carbon is the International Feature submission this year for Moldova. The film takes place after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1992. The tensions between Moldova and Transnistria have escalated into a military conflict. Some have called it a civil war.
The film focuses on a young man named Dima who has decided to join the army to defend his land. He goes to his friend Vasea for help to take him to the frontline of the war. Vasea is an Afghan war vet so he’s the perfect guy to help. On their way towards the basecamp they find a dead body in the fields. Despite a lot of reluctance from Dima, the two friends decide that they need to find the proper burial for this body.
And so begins their comedic journey.
Director Ion Bors has created a witty comedy on the ridiculousness of war. The film is simple and straight to the point. It doesn’t get mixed in with any politics. It sticks to the story and shows humanity at all levels. It’s able to bring in comedy to an unfortunate situation. The film showcases how tragic war is for both sides. In the case of Moldova and Transnistria, just a river and a bridge separate the two regions. The landscapes are the same. The trees are the same. The soil is the same. All humans are the same. And all borders are imaginary. When innocent people die, all that is left is their carbonized body, with rarely anyone there to give them a proper burial. It’s a life gone too soon.