Transnistra is a self-governing republic made from the legacy of the former Soviet Union. Although is a part of Moldova from the UN standard, Russia, Moldova and Transnistra formed a joint committee to create an independent government. It seems like this movie is dealing with international political issues based on the political background and the title ′Transnistra′ only, but it is not at all. Transnistra is a lyrical documentary about the beautiful appearance of the teenagers living in such a harsh environment. The movie first focuses on the beautiful time of the girl Tanya and the boys who like her.
In a sunny summer, they spend their time roaming a ruined construction site or playing in the water in a nearby lake. However, the time comes when they seem to be out of their worries about the world and break up to find their own dreams. Taken with 16mm film, the special color and texture of this 16mm film stimulates nostalgia. “Directed with love, sensibility and a strong poetic vision, the film takes us to the world that is both exotic and familiar, close and far away” is the reason for winning the best documentary award at the Göteborg Film Festival 2019. (Nam Dong-chul)