Nobadi (Karl Markovics, 2019): Austria

Reviewed by Diego Riker. Viewed at the AFI Film Festival.

Nobadi, directed by Karl Markovics, is an interesting story which follows an old man who is in need of help digging a hole for his dog that has just passed. He recruits the help of a young Afghani boy and they develop an interesting relationship when it turns out that the boy needs more help than the man.

Though the plot line of this film is very basic and easy to understand, I think the director did a great job explaining this unconventional relationship. We are able to dive into the old mans feelings and see how he could have enjoyed having the boy around, given that he seemed lonely and the only thing that he previously had around was his dog. This unconventional relationship is exactly what drives the story to be interesting.

The film also includes some out of the ordinary scenes that will get the faint-hearted viewer out of their seat, and possibly out of the theater, but this is what made the film so fun for me. At one point in the film, almost everyone in the theater will have the same squeamish facial expression, as this scene is not something we are used to seeing on the big screen.

In my opinion, what makes this film interesting is the relationship between the two, which is so out of the ordinary that it is fun to watch. The most important piece that makes this film special is the acting of the two, which makes their relationship that much more believable.

Though I could see how some viewers could find this film stupid or childish, without much deeper meaning, I believe this is exactly what the director had in mind and exactly what makes this film worth watching.