''Eastern Drift'' is a 2010 Lithuanian crime film directed by

Šarūnas Bartas Šarūnas Bartas (born 16 August 1964) is a Lithuanian film director. One of the most prominent Lithuanian film directors internationally from the late 20th century. His 2015 film ''Peace to Us in Our Dreams'' was screened in the Directors' Fortn ...

, starring Bartas and Klavdiya Korshunova. Its Lithuanian title is ''Eurazijos aborigenas'' and its French title is ''Indigène d'Eurasie'', which means "Eurasian native". It tells the story of a drug smuggler who wants to quit, but is betrayed and tries to flee, together with his prostitute ex-girlfriend, from

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

through

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...

and

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

. The film premiered in the Forum section of the

60th Berlin International Film Festival The 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 11 to 21 February 2010, with Werner Herzog as President of the Jury. The opening film of the festival was Chinese director Wang Quan'an's romantic drama ''Apart Together'', in comp ...

Cast

as Gena * Klavdiya Korshunova as Sasha * Erwan Ribard as Philippe *

Elisa Sednaoui Elisa Sednaoui (born December 14, 1987) is a model, actress, philanthropist and film director of Syrian, Italian, Egyptian, and French descent. She has appeared in such films as ''Eastern Drift'', ''La Baie du renard'', ''Bus Palladium'', ''Les Ga ...

as Gabrielle * Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux as Aurélien

Reception

Neil Young wrote in ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'': "The fact that Bartas -- no oil-painting -- has co-devised a scenario where he's lusted after by two gorgeous babes may strike many as narcissistic. Ditto his decision to give himself numerous close-ups and to show off his wiry physique in a nude scene that allows contemplation of his trim buttocks. ... Taken as a whole, however, there is something quietly persuasive and cumulatively engaging about ''Eastern Drift'', not least the way it depicts a Europe that seems to have become progressively 'Russified' since the early 1990s. Bartas finds grey, bleak corners of every city he comes across, often with ironically inappropriate terms like 'Eldorado' and 'Shangri-La' spelled out in Cyrillic neon on building fronts." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

's'' Leslie Felperin wrote: "With the nicely shot but messily assembled thriller ''Eastern Drift'', a French-Lithuanian-Russian co-prod, Lithuanian helmer-writer-lenser-thesp Sharunas Bartas further demonstrates, after ''

Seven Invisible Men ''Seven Invisible Men'' () is a 2005 Lithuanian drama film directed by Šarūnas Bartas. It tells the story of a group of Russian outcasts and criminals who travel in a stolen car and behave dysfunctionally and irresponsibly, eventually clashing wi ...

'', that he should stick to camera operating. ... Dire editing, Bartas’ inability to shoot action, act himself or direct thesps all create a tedious excursion."

References

External links

''Eastern Drift''
at the production company's website 2010 crime films 2010 films Films directed by Šarūnas Bartas Films set in France Films set in Moscow Lithuanian drama films 2010s French-language films {{Lithuania-film-stub