This black comedy tells the story of Irina, a beautiful young Russian who ends up a call girl in “a fairy-tale land” in the Alps and falls completely under its spell. Thanks to a dubious lawyer Irina finds that her services are in demand with an ever-growing clientele from the worlds of business, politics, the military and the media. The clients soon learn to appreciate the young woman’s discretion with regard to their extra-marital affairs.
Meanwhile in faraway Russia Irina‘s family clan follows with interest her climb up the social ladder, as with each passing day her coterie of admirers in this little paradise swells.
Assured that her wish to become a Swiss citizen will be granted in recognition of her services to the nation, Irina first has to agree to turn informer. From this point on the young woman finds herself increasingly caught up in obscure conflicts of interest, while being initiated in the rites and delights of blackmail. She soon realises that the snowy summits and pure air hide from the world a dark labyrinth of plotting, vanity and low cunning unfit for such a fairy-tale setting.
Threatened with expulsion Irina inadvertently sets in motion a plan to overthrow the government, concocted many years earlier by a long-since forgotten patriotic group. The fate of the heroine, and of the nation, suddenly take an unexpected turn…
Feature, CH/D/A 1999, 104′, colour, 35mm
Director Daniel Schmid
Original version German
Production
T&C Film, Zürich
Pandora Film, Köln
Prisma Film, Wien
Sélection Officielle
„Un certain Regard“ Cannes 1999
