The Shoe
Kurpe
dir. Laila Pakalnina
Latvia / Germany, 1998 - 83
In the late 1950's the white sandy beaches of Latvia were part of the Soviet Union's frontier. Every night, Soviet tractors would comb Latvia's coast and leave fine grooves in the sand. Trespassers of any kind who might cross the beach would leave telltale tracks and lead Soviet patrols to investigate. One morning, three Soviet patrolmen discover a woman's shoe in the sand and footsteps leading to the local village of Leipaja. Alarms sound, troops are dispatched: an official inquiry begins. But things don't go well. Despite their military training, the patrolmen can't solve the mystery. Leipaja has seductive power. The troops take too much time, neglect their task and begin to enjoy themselves. The men ask, cajole and order woman after woman to try on the shoe, but it never fits.
Leila Pakalnina's rendition of Cinderella is very much different from the fairytale we all know so well. This time there is no prince charming, only paranoia.
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