Romanian focus at Göteborg International Film Festival
The new wave of Romanian film sweeps across the world. In January, it will hit Sweden in full force when Göteborg International Film Festival, in co-operation with Romanian Cultural Institute, shows six of the past year's strongest films from Romania. This section also includes four Romanian classics, seminars, short films and a Mihail Livada retrospectiv.
Aurora
Viorel has a rifle in a bag and spends much of his time observing a family from a distance. Slowly, slowly, we understand his plans and what drives him in this black comedy and crime story by Cristi Puiu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu) who also plays the lead role.
Principles of Life
On the face of it, middle-aged Emilian leads a life he should be happy with: a good job, plenty of money, a young and beautiful wife and soon a new house. But he is violently annoyed with almost everything in his surroundings – and most of all with his teenage son. Constantin Popescu’s Principles of Life follows a day in the life of a conflict-ridden man, convincingly portrayed by Vlad Ivanov (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days), who drives himself to eruption. A compelling drama about generational conflicts in post-communist Romania.
Tuesday after Christmas
After ten years of marriage Paul starts cheating on his wife with their daughter's dentist. The affair is brought to a head when mistress and spouse finally meet. The unfaithful man must make his choice, and it must be done before Christmas. In long, dialogue-driven scenes director Radu Muntean deals with a subject with familiar ingredients without ever lapsing into the banal.
Outbound
Matilda gets a one-day leave from prison to attend her mother's funeral. Should she pick up her son at the children’s home and flee the country or return to prison to serve out the remainder of her sentence? Ana Ularu in a strong leading role in Bogdan George Apetri’s debut film. Apetri will visit the festival.
Kapitalism: Our Improved Formula
In his eye-opening and humorous documentary Kapitalism: Our Improved FormulaAlexandru Solomon shows how Romania's economic and political elite has taken over and developed the corruption from the Ceausescu days. Of 462 corruption cases that have ended up in the Romanian courts, not one has resulted in a conviction. A class of "untouchables" has arisen in the country with the lowest GDP of the countries of the former Eastern bloc, yet with the highest concentration of millionaires.
Morgen
At the border between Romania and Hungary Nelu lives a fairly dull life, until one day he takes care of a Turkish refugee who seeks a better life in Europe. With humor and seriousness director Marian Crisan, winner of the 2008 Palme d'Or for best hort film, shows how an individual destiny can change through the cares of a fellow human being. Morgen received multiple awards at the Locarno Film Festival earlier this year. Crisan will be one of the guests at the festival next year.
Classics, shorts, seminars and a Mihail Livada retrospective
The festival audience will have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with four Romanian classics: Reenactment (1968) by Lucian Pintilie, The Stone Wedding (1972) by Mircea Veroiu and Dan Piţa, The Cruise (1981) by Mircea Daneliuc and Contest (1982) by Dan Piţa.
In addition, several Romanian shorts will be screened as well as a retrospective of the work of art filmmaker Mihail Livada (1908–1992), who resided in Sweden for a large part of his life and lived together with the Swedish poet Rut Hillarp. The Romanian theme will be reflected in the festival's seminar program, with several interesting talks on Romanian films, past and present.
Göteborg International Film Festival, 28 January – 7 February 2011.
