Tuvalu is a pretty weird film. It’s definitely inspired by old silent expressionist films– Barely anyone speaks in it, the scenes play out in a variety of sepia tones, and the expressions everyone takes are hyper-exaggerated– but it’s the plot points that can feel cryptic and loopy for some viewers, considering the wacky ways Anton improvises some quick fixes for the pool. It’s because of this that the film won’t be for everyone. However, cinephiles looking for something outside the mainstream fare might enjoy Tuvalu, because the strange plot is depicted through interesting frames shot in the beautiful sets of the dilapidated pool, in a unique style that most viewers would rarely see today. Tuvalu is eccentric, but it’s not bad, and no one can deny its originality.
Synopsis
Set in a dilapidated indoor swimming pool (the Central Baths in Sofia), the film details the efforts of Anton, a clueless dreamer who yearns to sail the world, and Martha, the button obsessed cashier, to maintain the illusion for Anton's blind father that business is thriving. Working to sabotage their efforts is Gregor - Anton's brother - an amoral developer who is determined to raze the entire town and construct a sprawling condominium complex. Gregor engineers an accident that seems certain to doom the business and in the process steals away Eva, the beautiful woman of Anton's dreams. Will Gregor's dastardly plan succeed?
Storyline
A family of three resides in the old public swimming pool: the blind father who reminisces on a time that’s passed, the mother who charges buttons for admission, and a son named Anton, who has never ventured outside. However, when a beautiful girl named Eva visits the old pool, Anton falls in love and hopes to win her heart while keeping the dilapidated bath house from being knocked down.
TLDR
So, so strange.
What stands out
The thing is, after everything, I can’t help but think about the plot. Should it be a triumph that the entire town pitched in to help maintain the illusion of a thriving bath house to the old blind man? Given the quick fixes and the fact no one’s even going there, should the bath house even still stand? Or, should the bathhouse’s end be on their own terms? I can’t say.
