Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)
April 8, 2005 Friday REGION EDITION

‘VODKA LEMON’IS INTOXICATING CINEMA

by Barry Paris Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On snowy winter days in Pittsburgh, when you see chairs out beside a
road, it’s because somebody is trying to save a parking space. On
snowy winter days in rural Armenia, when you see chairs outside, it’s
because people are sitting in them, talking — or more often, not
talking.

The silence is golden and important in “Vodka Lemon,” one of the most
beautiful and affecting films to come out of the new republics that
once made up the Soviet Union. Its title derives from the incongruous
name of a little liquor stand on the outskirts of a remote mountain
village.

“Why is it called ‘lemon’ when it tastes like almonds?” asks one of
the precious few customers.

“That’s Armenia,” comes the reply from middle-aging Nina (Roszanna
Mesropian).

When not behind the counter, Nina can be found faithfully visiting
her husband’s grave at the little town’s even more remote cemetery.
She takes the area’s one and only bus there every day. So does Hamo
(Roman Avinian) — daily, without fail — to wipe off his late wife’s
tombstone and keep her posted on local and family developments.

There’s not much good news to report. Most of the older people are
out of work, and most of the young ones have left. Hamo’s main source
of income comes from selling off his own furniture, piece by piece,
while breathlessly awaiting a letter with money from his son in
Paris. In fact, the whole village is awaiting. Word spreads quickly
when it finally arrives. People line up outside Hamo’s house (for
loans) before he even opens it. But it contains a photo of the son’s
French girlfriend instead of money.

“Don’t you miss the time when the Russians were here?” he asks
wistfully.

“No, we didn’t have any freedom then,” his friend replies.

“Maybe, but we had everything else.”

If socioeconomic life has sunk to an all-time low, interpersonal life
is still alive and well in its proud, quirky, never-say-die Armenian
form. “Vodka Lemon” — lyrically paced and photographed by Hiner
Saleem, superbly acted by Avinian and Mesropian — is a marvel of
bittersweet moments, many of them funny. A motorcycle breaks down,
then suddenly takes off down the road on its own. A man on horseback
keeps pace, galloping across this and that scene for no apparent
reason except that he can. The bus driver croons a theme song. Nina’s
daughter composes gorgeously sad piano music.

And love might just be blooming in a cemetery.

Post-Gazette film critic Barry Paris can be reached at
parispg48@aol.com. ‘Vodka Lemon’

****

Rating: Unrated but PG in nature.

Starring: Roman Avinian, Roszanna Mesropian.

Director: Hiner Saleem.