Films & Schedules - ROMANIA

Following his spellbinding Romanian hospital odyssey The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Aurora is Puiu’s second film in his planned series “Six Stories from the Outskirts of Bucharest.” Here, the tightly wound coldness of middle-aged metallurgical engineer Viorel—played by Puiu himself with inscrutable intensity—slowly metastasizes into a discreet, inaccessible unraveling. Elliptically observing the day-to-day life of a seemingly normal guy who will eventually commit violent acts, Puiu invites the audience to puzzle over his motives. We watch him from a distance as simmering anger and disconnection take hold. “For all the viewer’s constant immersion in the specifics of Viorel’s activity, there’s...

Following his spellbinding Romanian hospital odyssey The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Aurora is Puiu’s second film in his planned series “Six Stories from the Outskirts of Bucharest.” Here, the tightly wound coldness of middle-aged metallurgical engineer Viorel—played by Puiu himself with inscrutable intensity—slowly metastasizes into a discreet, inaccessible unraveling. Elliptically observing the day-to-day life of a seemingly normal guy who will eventually commit violent acts, Puiu invites the audience to puzzle over his motives. We watch him from a distance as simmering anger and disconnection take hold. “For all the viewer’s constant immersion in the specifics of Viorel’s activity, there’s the sense of constantly rubbing up against the unknowable, as both the character and the meaning of his activity and relationships remain inscrutable.”—Variety (181 mins.)

Filmography: Stuff and Dough (01), The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (05).

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature.

The antithesis of the grim naturalism of the best known new Romanian cinema, this rare romantic comedy tells a story full of humor and recognition. Gabriel and Gabriela have been happily married for years, but all desire has waned. As they lead their almost separate lives, they each can’t help but notice that everyone around them seems to be getting it on just fine. Even their teenage son, whose hilarious voiceover commentary intermittently provides important narrative information, prides himself on being the high school stud. Facing an “is this all life has to offer?” moment, they each turn to the...

The antithesis of the grim naturalism of the best known new Romanian cinema, this rare romantic comedy tells a story full of humor and recognition. Gabriel and Gabriela have been happily married for years, but all desire has waned. As they lead their almost separate lives, they each can’t help but notice that everyone around them seems to be getting it on just fine. Even their teenage son, whose hilarious voiceover commentary intermittently provides important narrative information, prides himself on being the high school stud. Facing an “is this all life has to offer?” moment, they each turn to the internet in search of passion. Can there be virtual salvation? Beyond the witty and simply cute, Maftei crafts a film full of real, touching emotions. (105 mins.)

First Feature.

Sponsored by the Romanian American Society.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors.

Nelu lives on an isolated farm near the city of Salonta, not far from the Romanian-Hungarian border. He loves fishing each morning in the canals near the border before heading to work. One day he catches something unusual: a Kurdish immigrant attempting to cross the border to Hungary on his way to Germany. Nelu is a massive, slow-thinking, seldom speaking man who, if upset, is capable of unsuspected resoluteness. His quiet determination is a clear standout in this subtle satire that attacks the absurdity of any kind of borders. This charming fish-out-of-water tale about a supermarket security guard who defies...

Nelu lives on an isolated farm near the city of Salonta, not far from the Romanian-Hungarian border. He loves fishing each morning in the canals near the border before heading to work. One day he catches something unusual: a Kurdish immigrant attempting to cross the border to Hungary on his way to Germany. Nelu is a massive, slow-thinking, seldom speaking man who, if upset, is capable of unsuspected resoluteness. His quiet determination is a clear standout in this subtle satire that attacks the absurdity of any kind of borders. This charming fish-out-of-water tale about a supermarket security guard who defies obtuse rules and his grumpy wife in order to help a friend in need is this year’s Romanian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. (100 mins.)

First Feature.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors.