When filmmaker Mercedes Stalenhoef and crew arrive in the small village of Glod, Romania, they discover a serene and tightly knit community of people whose deeply rooted family values are displayed in every joke and bickering exchange. Among them, 17-year-old Carmen offers a particular insight into the everyday life in Glod, which some call mundane and others consider peaceful. While she skillfully tends to her father’s shop and supplies the villagers with everything from fresh bread to the latest gossip, Carmen is also a typical teenager. She harbors a secret crush on her neighbor and wishes she could live the glamorous life portrayed in her favorite Spanish soap opera. When an American film crew arrives to make a documentary, the entire village gets taken for a whirlwind journey that tests lifelong friendships. What was supposed to be a promotional opportunity turns out to be the biggest cinematic stunt of modern time, as Sacha Baron Cohen hijacks the unsuspecting town and portrays it as a caricature of a backward Kazakhstani village. Deeply entangled in this scandal, Carmen and her family try to set the record straight with the movie studio, while Stalenhoef’s crew work assiduously to document the aftermath of Borat’s visit to Glod, despite mounting suspicions among the citizens against anyone with a camera. As the dust settles from the controversy, Carmen must return to the world of her everyday chores and fantasies, both of which serve as reminders of things much more real and important. A hilarious and touching look at people with humble lives who are suddenly brought into the spotlight, CARMEN MEETS BORAT reveals the best and worst of human nature.

Filmmaker Q&A

Introduce yourself:
My name is Mercedes Stalenhoef. I’m from the Netherlands. I studied art history. In my studies, I focused on film history. The documentaries from the direct cinema, especially Frederik Wiseman, inspired me a lot. After my studies I started to make short documentaries. After a while, I started making feature length documentaries, including
- I JUST TAKE MY TOYS WITH ME, 2002
- GODOFREDO IS ALIVE, 2004
- I NEVER WANT TO BE FAMOUS, 2005
- IT’S MY LIFE, 2007
- CARMEN MEETS BORAT, 2008

What inspired this film? How did you find your subjects?
I met the main character, Carmen, on my holiday in Romania. She working at her family’s bar and discovered she could practice her Spanish with me. I’m half Spanish. She told me about her dream to go to Spain, to have a better live and find a nice, rich and handsome boyfriend. I was touched by the contrast between her daily life in her very poor village and her dreams. So, I wondered if she would go to Spain and if she could find happiness there. When I returned to get to know her better, I liked not only her but also her family. Her father is very interesting. He helps people from the village like a pater familias. He was trying for a long time to get running water. But this was not so easy. The whole village is an interesting place. It’s a small village in a big universe.

What were some of the biggest challenges/surprises?
After I started shooting the filmmakers for the film BORAT came to her village too. They only filmed for three days but the impact was very big for Carmen, her family and the whole village. So, my subject changed a bit during my shooting.

Who are some of your favorite filmmakers?
Frederik Wiseman, Emir Kusturica.

What is your all time favorite documentary?
TITICUT FOLLIES, Frederik Wiseman

What other projects are in the pipeline?
KARSU DONMEZ: a film about a Turkish singer-songwriter.

A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD FOR PETER: a film about an institution for the mentally handicapped. The institution will be pulled down and a new neighborhood will be built. Mentally handicapped and ‘normal’ people will live next to each other.

Why did you become a filmmaker?
I like to tell stories.

What are some of your creative influences?
Direct cinema and much more.

Did you go to film school?
No.

What do you shoot on?
XD-cam

Why did you want to screen your film at SILVERDOCS?
It’s great to show my film to people in other countries.