Tag Archives: Romanian cinema

the differences that bring us together (film: Nunta in Basarabia – Nap Toader, 2009)

Weddings are sometimes odd gatherings that bring together people from different backgrounds, nationalities, identities. Films about weddings have been used too describe not only the folkloric aspects of tradition, but also to deal with rather serious issues beyond relationships – … Continue reading

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the winter of the film director (Film: Kira Kiralina – Dan Pita, 2014)

The success of the Romanian cinema in the last decade or so did not spring up from nothing. Although the cinema in Romania was more strictly censored and controlled by propaganda during the Communist period, a handful of talented directors … Continue reading

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strong and violent frontier character drama (film: Caini – Bogdan Mirica, 2016)

The landscape plays a central role in Dogs (Caini) the first long feature film of Romanian director Bogdan Mirica. Visuals, actually, together with acting play the most important tasks in this film, which is very different from many other features … Continue reading

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lost generations (film: Bacalaureat – Cristian Mungiu, 2016)

The Romanian ‘New Wave’ is not that new any longer. For the last decade Romanian directors succeeded to surprise viewers and juries with their films dealing with hardships of life under the Communist dictatorship, and about the period that followed … Continue reading

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‘drole de famille’ (film: Ilegitim – Adrian Sitaru, 2016)

‘Ilegitim’ (or ‘Ilegitimate’ in English) starts with a very normal family scene. Around the family table we see the father (Adrian Titieni), a man in his late 50s (we’ll soon learn that he lost his wife one year and a … Continue reading

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sleepy (Film: Somnul insulei – Mircea Veroiu, 1994)

‘Somnul insulei’ (‘The Sleep of the Island’) is a film that looks today quite tired. Sleepy and tired. It is to some extent a combination of the time it talks about (the Communist dictatorship period) and the time it was … Continue reading

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Aferim, Radu Jude! (Film: Aferim! – Radu Jude, 2015)

What critics and audiences call ‘the Romanian New Wave’ is not that new any longer. Already in its teens it has focused on the present times, and the recent past of Romania – the last decade of the Communist era … Continue reading

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a cinematograhic exercise with no substance (Film: Când se lasa seara peste Bucuresti sau Metabolism – Corneliu Porumboiu, 2013)

I am following quite closely the development of the Romanian cinema, and Corneliu Porumboiu is one of the directors whose previous work I enjoyed a lot, especially ’12:08 East of Bucharest’ which was a story about the 1989 events of … Continue reading

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the world of Purcarete on screen (Film: ‘Somewhere at Palilula – Silviu Purcarete, 2012)

‘Somewhere in Palilula’ has managed to divide in camps not only film critics but also my friends who have seen it. Reactions ranged from enthusiastic acceptance till total rejection. In Romania it apparently had a fairly short career on screen … Continue reading

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lumea lui Purcarete pe ecran (Film: ‘Undeva la Palilula’ – Silviu Purcarete, 2012)

‘Undeva in Palilula’ a reusit sa-i imparta in tabere nu numai pe criticii de film ci si pe prietenii mei care l-au vazut. Paleta reactiilor a fost impartita intre acceptare entuziasta si respingere totala. In Romania a avut se pare … Continue reading

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