One of the smaller pleasures of Cape Winelands feature competition section is a comedy of cultural difference by Napoleon Helmis. Wedding in Besarabia follows Vlad and Vica as they prepare to get married in the bride’s hometown of Chisinau, the capital of Moldova and once part of Romania, until it was annexed by Soviet forces in 1940. The couple have chosen to return there knowing that the tradition of giving the new couple money will help support them in their new life together. However, Vlad’s proudly patriotic Romanian uncle and Vica’s godfather, who appears to be in love with her, appear hell-bent on destroying what should be a happy day.

The wedding-as-hell movie has been done many times before, most brutally in Robert Altman’s A Wedding. Helmis’s film might fall short in terms of satire, but it is an observant, often very funny and occasionally acerbic film. The best scenes take place at the drawn-out reception, where family members attempt to outdo each other in their patriotic claims and almost fanatical devotion to the newlyweds. Vlad Logigan in particular, as the put-upon groom, is superb, as he attempts to keep his head whilst the wedding party loses theirs through alcohol consumption and name-calling.

InternationalFilmGuide.com