War in Abkhazia, 1992. An Estonian man Ivo has stayed behind to harvest his crops of tangerines. In a bloody conflict at his door, a wounded man is left behind, and Ivo is forced to take him in.
Ratings
Curator score: 8.4/10
IMDb: 8.1/10
Letterboxd: 4.11/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Metacritic: 73
TMDB: 7.7/10
Director
Zaza Urushadze
Production
Allfilm, Georgianfilm
Cast
Lembit Ulfsak, Giorgi Nakashidze, Elmo Nüganen, Misha Meskhi, Raivo Trass, Zura Begalishvili, Dato Khakhidze, Jano Izoria, Gia Gogishvili, Vamekh Jangidze, Aleko Begalishvili, Temo Khutsishvili, Giorgi Tsaava, Denis Khlibov, Viktor Gegeshidze, Genadi Levchenko, Kakha Arevadze, Ann-Heliin Saadoja
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A spare, humane anti-war drama that uses a small, intimate setup to make a larger point about conflict, dignity, and the absurdity of ethnic hatred. Its strength is restraint: instead of battlefield spectacle, it finds tension in conversation, obligation, and the fragile possibility of empathy.
Best for
Viewers who prefer character-driven war films over combat spectacle
Fans of quietly emotional, morally serious dramas
People interested in post-Soviet history and small-scale conflict stories
Audiences who appreciate restrained, naturalistic filmmaking
Skip if
You want action-heavy war scenes or large-scale military strategy
You dislike overtly symbolic or fable-like storytelling
You prefer morally ambiguous political dramas with lots of procedural detail
You’re looking for a fast-paced or visually expansive war epic
Overview
Tangerines is a compact war film with a clear moral center, but it earns its emotion through simplicity rather than speeches. Set in a rural pocket of Abkhazia, it turns a single house into a temporary ceasefire zone, where wounded enemies are forced into uneasy proximity and basic decency becomes an act of resistance.
Worth noting
The film’s power comes from its quietness: the rhythms of daily labor, the stubbornness of old age, and the way ordinary hospitality can cut against the logic of war. It is not interested in tactical complexity or political nuance so much as the human cost of dehumanization, which gives it a gentle but firm anti-war force.
Bottom line
Some viewers may find its message blunt or its allegory a little tidy, especially given the brutality of the real conflict behind it. Even so, the film’s modest scale, strong performances, and unshowy craft make it memorable. It’s a moving example of how a small story can carry a heavy historical weight.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Joshua Dysart (2.5★) · 206 likes
Let me ask those of you who’ve seen this a question. Are you aware that Abkhaz separatist committed ethnic cleansing, killing between 4,000 and 15,000 Georgians? And that during the whole conflict 10,000 to 30,000 Georgian civilians were killed?
Now. Knowing that, how does this morally simplistic fable about two enemies finding common ground sit with you? It suddenly all seems a little softly peddled, doesn’t it? A little reductionist? Maybe it seems like the real issues at hand, which… more
Michael James (4★) · 156 likes
A simple, aesthetic yet powerful human drama that shows how humanity and compassion can rise above conflicts and war. Through meaningful dialogues, it reflects on the futility of war with a clear anti-war stance. Lembit Ulfsak delivers a strong wholesome central performance, neatly supported by the rest. A quietly heartwarming watch.
Esteban Gonzalez (4★) · 153 likes
“What is wrong with you, young men? All the time, I will kill, I will kill... Who gave you the right for that?"
I wasn’t familiar with Estonian cinema before Mandariinid (Tangerines), but I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for Zaza Urushadze’s upcoming projects because this was a fulfilling experience. I know the Academy doesn’t always get it right, but at least it gives me a chance to check out films that I wouldn’t have heard of otherwise.… more
sinn Mayfield (4★) · 120 likes
War makes people forget that the “enemy” is also human.
yağmur🌞 (4★) · 106 likes
sonunda bi miktar içim burkulmuş olabilir...
"Ahmed, fark eder mi?"
2001 · Action, History, War · 1h 38m · R · Curator 8.2/10 (66.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A darkly humane war satire that, like Tangerines, traps enemies together and lets absurdity expose the futility of conflict.
2013 · Drama · 1h 22m · PG-13 · Curator 9.0/10 (154.6K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, MUBI, OVID, Chai Flicks, Klassiki, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Austere, contemplative, and rooted in the aftermath of historical trauma, with a similar sense of moral gravity.