Deep within the lonely, dark woods of rural southern Switzerland, the remains of Nikola Hadziev, an undocumented Macedonian worker, were discovered, 10 months after his disappearance. Beginning with this mysterious death, recounted in white text flashing over a sombre black screen, Aldo Gugolz’s contemplative documentary is not interested in playing detective. Instead, the film patiently observes how this tragedy casts a dark spell over Alpe d’Arena, a small dairy farm nestled in the remote Vergeletto valley.
Run by Fabiano, who inherited the property as well as the business from his parents, Alpe d’Arena has a steady flow of transient workers, one of whom was Hadziev. In fact, he died on his way home after work. As rumours of foul play spread through the village, Fabiano was tortured by a sense of guilt and responsibility. He wondered if he should have reported Hadziev’s absence to the police, instead of merely assuming the milker had quit. Juxtaposed with Fabiano’s haunted state is the tranquility of the farm life, notwithstanding the strenuous manual labour and the austere living conditions. The birth of Fabiano’s son is another sign of healing in the shadow of this death.
Luxuriating in the beauty of the mountainous landscapes, Cows on the Roof is most compelling as a study of a way of life that has become increasingly precarious and unsustainable. Still, Gugolz is either hesitant or unequipped to dig deeper into the sociopolitical realities that underlie Hadziev’s death. While sympathetic towards Fabiano’s financial struggles, the film shies away from discussing the power dynamic that exists between a farm owner and an undocumented migrant. It’s a misstep that this troubling death only serves to provide an avenue into Fabiano’s life, rather than a disturbing indication of larger economic issues.
• Cows on the Roof is available from 11 August on True Story.
