The Caviar Connection

On and around the Danube river, the locals try to eke out a living by fishing. And not for just any fish. They all dream of finding a fat sturgeon in their nets, whose eggs are literally worth their weight in gold. The voice-over in this observational documentary is a sturgeon's, who introduces the main characters: the brothers Ivan and Dragan, sons of legendary fisherman Pa Drnda, who is forced to stand by and watch his offspring wreck his fine reputation. The film follows the two brothers during the barren seasons in their day-to-day worries: the painful awakening after yet another late and inebriated night, the practised preparation of the boat and nets, the quarrels with other fishermen about fishing territories, the disappointing catch, if there is one. The drudgery is occasionally interrupted by a bingo drive in the dirty village centre, where people fill in the numbers while a porn movie plays in the background. Or by death, which is never far away due to the population's unhealthy lifestyle. Or perhaps by an absurdist local court session about territories, which leaves it unclear as to who is the witness, accused or defendant. A fishing ban enforced by the European Union eventually causes a trail-blazing change.