Final Day: Screening of "Weekend with My Mother"

The Festival is now officially over, but it ended with a bang not with a whimper! The screening of the last film, "Weekend with My Mother" (Weekend cu Mama) was completely sold out. The latest Stere Gulea feature was a story about addiction, abandoned children and complex mother-daughter relationships.

The plot followed the main character, Luiza, played by Medeea Marinescu, who is returning from Spain to reconcile with her long-lost daughter (Adela Popescu). Luiza finds that her daughter, Cristina, had become a drug addict who had abandoned her own two-year old daughter. Determined to mend her relationship, Luiza convinces Cristina to come with her to Spain and to retrieve her daughter from the foster home. However, the plan goes wrong when Cristina's boyfriend, villain Johnny (Andi Vasluianu), kidnaps the little girl. Cristina goes looking for her daughter but, in a final shocker, is found dead by her mother.

The Q&A at the end of the film was attended by the director, Stere Gulea, actor Andi Vasluianu and screenwriter Vera Ion. Many questions centred around the unexpected ending, which intrigued or shocked the audience. Mr Gulea also talked about his process of researching for the film, and the influence he had from Trainspotting. He also referred to his future projects, including a comedy about Communist nostalgia.

The Festival concluded with a wine reception offered by the Ratiu Foundation, where participants could discuss the films that were seen throughout the Festival and solidify the friendships that grew along its rich four days.

Third Day (III): Screening of "Elevator"

The last film screened on the Third Day, "Elevator" (2008) has earned a number of awards and accolades, including the Fresh Generation Award 2008 at Karlovy Vary Film Festival, Best Romanian Debut at the Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF), Best Editing at the Romanian Filmmakers Awards (2009). Reputed Romanian critic Tudor Caranfil called this film "the event of the year in Romanian cinema".

There are many aspects that make Elevator a film worth watching: the great editing and directing skills of self-made director, George Dorobantu (who is a boat captain), the excellent quality of a film that was shot in a theatre cargo elevator on an amazing budget of only 200 euro, as well as the impressive acting skills of two teenagers selected directly from high school. Above all, it's the sheer emotions engendered by the story of two young people who, looking to escape the ordinariness of their city life, seek a romantic moment in the cargo elevator of an abandoned factory. Instead of a hot romance, they find themselves trapped in the elevator facing their own death by thirst and starvation. The film carefully chronicles their gradual demise, beginning with their conversations about a non-existent future and ending with visceral shots of their physical agony.

Given the brutality of the situation, the film's audience can only be grateful that the director did not choose to become overly naturalistic in its shots. Instead, his filming becomes increasingly stylised as the drama draws to a predictable close. The heightening desperation acquires a poetic quality as the screams become drowned in a beautiful and haunting soundtrack by Ada Milea. The physical suffering is compensated by increasing moments of tenderness between the two condemned teenagers. Perhaps the most original and intriguing touch comes at the end, when the film does not conclude, as we might expect, with the death scenes, but with a cute and upbeat conversation between the two, which is carried out in a surreal dimension of shared delirium. The ending is in an understated way a testimony of love trumping death as the two doomed youth become a postmodernist version of Romeo and Juliet.

One more thing: the film's premise becomes much more powerful by the fact that it is inspired from real events that happened in London, where two unidentified teenagers were found dead after three months in an abandoned elevator.

Third Day (II): The UK premiere of "Morometii"

The highlight of the third day of the Film Festival was undoubtedly the British premiere of "Morometii", the classical 1988 movie of Stere Gulea. Whether to see it again or to see it the first time, the audience gathered in large numbers in the screening room. "Morometii", as most people know, is based on the 1st book by novelist Marin Preda, and deals with the village world of the late 1930s. The protagonist, Ilie Moromete, battles with daily chores, rebellious children, a difficult household and taxes. Eventually, as his ungrateful sons flee with the family's horses and sheep, Moromete finds himself at the end of his straw. The presentation of this first UK screening was impeccable, except perhaps for the less felicitous translation, that often did not do justice to Preda's genius writing and the excellent script.

The film was followed by a short Q&A with Mr Stere Gulea, the director of the movie, and Mr. Victor Rebengiuc, the chief protagonist. They conveyed how the Communist propaganda of the so-called "archetypal Romanian peasant" distorted the film's message. The village of Ilie Moromete is now a lost world, but his struggles to cope with a difficult family and to make ends meet remain forever actual. Mr Gulea recalled how the Communists did not like the realism of the story, and the fact that Moromete was a real human being, rather than a stereotypical peasant. Mr Rebengiuc added that the Communists also resented the fact that the film (just as the book) showed peasants as better off than during their Communist period. In the 1930s, life was hard, but at least peasants felt free and were able to express what they believed; moreover, they had tracts of land that were later taken away from them by the forced collectivisation of the 1950s.

Third Day (I): Romanian Shorts Programme

The third day debuted with the presentation of four short films. The first one, "Tiger Danny" (Danut Pleaca pe Vapor) deals with the departure of a young man, Danut, to work on a cruise ship for a year. Hardly had they dropped Danut to the airport that his girlfriend, best friend and brother have 'gotten on with their life'. To their shock, Danut had missed his plane and has just returned from the airport.

The second feature, "Yellow Smiley Face" (Fata Galbena care Rade) is a funny short about an ageing couple whose son had left to the US. Now their son is trying to contact them through instant messenger. However, the two are computer illiterate and try to figure out how to use it by following a list of instructions.

The third film, "Alexandra" deals with a divorced couple who are trying to raise their little girl. The father, Tavi, has the right to visit his daughter on Saturdays only. He is paranoid that Alexandra might forget who her real father is and that his ex-wife might try to turn her against him.

The last film, "Water" (Apa) is the adaptation of a short story by D.R. Popescu. The plot is set during the Second World War in Northern Romania. Three Romanian soldiers are stuck in a trench in awful heat and no water to drink. They are at a stand off with the enemy Russians, who are in an opposite trench. Ironically, in between them stands a water fountain which none of the sides can access. Eventually, an unlikely relationship develops as both sides make a truce to obtain the much needed water.

More Detailed Programme of Festival

The countdown to the Festival has begun! Make sure you buy your tickets either in person at the Curzon Mayfair, online at www.curzoncinemas.com or by phone at 0871 7033 989.

Here's a more detailed description of the films that will be shown during the Festival (the original Romanian title is in brackets):

FRIDAY 1 MAY 6.20PM
Opening Film: SILENT WEDDING (Nunta Muta)
plus Q&A
Director: Horatiu Malaele
Cast: Meda Andreea Victor, Victor Rebengiuc, Alexandru Potocean / Romania 2008 / 87 mins
A rural wedding celebration gets disturbed by Stalin’s death, but the villagers are not easily defeated. A story about resistance during harsh Communist times, told in a fairytale style.

SATURDAY 2 MAY 2.00PM
HOOKED (Pescuit Sportiv)
plus introduction
Director: Adrian Sitaru
Cast: Maria Dinulescu, Ioana Flora, Adrian Titieni / Romania/France 2008 / 80 mins
Having set out for a trip in the countryside, secret lovers Mihai and Miha hit prostitute Ana in a roadside accident. Awakening unscathed, Ana decides to accompany them to their picnic…

Screening with: WAVES (Valuri)
Director: Adrian Sitaru / Romania 2007 / 16 mins
A day on the beach takes a dark turn under the bright sunshine.

SATURDAY 2 MAY 4.00PM
THE OTHER IRENE (Cealalta Irina)
plus Q&A
Director: Andrei Gruzsniczki
Cast: Andi Vasluianu, Doru Ana, Gabriel Spahiu / Romania 2008 / 90 mins
Sharing similar grounds with some of the finest European thrillers, The Other Irene is based on a real story, uncovering a political and bureaucratic landscape that is truly eerie to watch.

SATURDAY 2 MAY 6.15PM

CONSTANTIN AND ELENA (Constantin si Elena)
plus Q&A
Director: Andrei Dascalescu / Romania 2008 / 103 mins
This multi-award winning documentary follows Constantin and Elena who’ve been married for 55 years in a rural village. A reflection on life, dying traditions and a heartfelt story of two very loving, artistic and wise people.

SATURDAY 2 MAY 8.45PM

EXCHANGE (Schimb Valutar)
plus Q&A
Director: Nicolae Margineanu
Cast: Cosmin Selesi, Aliona Munteanu, Andi Vasluianu / Romania 2008 / 98 mins
Having lost his job, Emil’s life soon spirals out of control and he decides to try his luck in Bucharest. Here, bank notes travel from thief to thug and the tragedy caused by this circle of events is the Romanian answer to Robert Bresson’s L’Argent.

SUNDAY 3 MAY 2.00PM
ROMANIAN SHORTS PROGRAMME plus introduction

TIGER DANNY (Danut Pleaca pe Vapor)
Director: Radu Potcoava / Romania 2008 / 27 mins
Tiger Danny is about to spend a working year in the US but getting out of Bucharest is not that easy.

YELLOW SMILEY FACE (Fata Galbena care Rade)
Director: Constantin Popescu / Romania 2008 / 14 mins
Two computer illiterate parents in their early 50s have to learn how to use Skype in order to communicate with their son, who studies abroad.

ALEXANDRA (Alexandra)
Director. Radu Jude / Romania 2007 / 25 mins
A single father tries to maintain a relationship with his daughter, despite the hateful ex-wife and her new man.

WATER (Apa)
Director: Constantin Popescu / Romania, 2007 / 33 mins
During World War II, some soldiers are stuck in a trench in the scorching heat with a pond of ice cool water separating them from their opponents.

SUNDAY 3 MAY 4.00PM

MOROMETII
plus Q&A
Director: Stere Gulea
Cast: Victor Rebengiuc, Luminita Gheorghiu, Gina Patrichi / Romania 1988 / 142 mins
Morometii, based on a modern classic of Romanian literature by Marin Preda, follows the life of Ilie Moromete, the archetype of the Romanian peasant. Ilie faces constant problems: his sister's nagging, the taxes and the work in the fields whilst his sons, almost grown-up, are now showing signs of rebellion.

SUNDAY 3 MAY 7.00PM

ELEVATOR plus introduction
Director. George Dorobantu
Cast: Cristi Petrescu, Iulia Verdes / Romania 2008 / 85 mins
Imagine being young, and fancying your schoolmate a little: where would you go if you wanted to be alone for a while? Inside a lift in an abandoned factory, on the outskirts of your hometown, perhaps?

MONDAY 4 MAY 6.30PM

WEEKEND WITH MY MOTHER (Weekend cu Mama)
plus Q&A
Director. Stere Gulea
Cast: Adela Popescu, Medeea Marinescu, Tudor Aaron Istodor / Romania 2009 / 90 mins
Stere Gulea’s latest film is a contemporary drama about migration and addiction, with all the ingredients that made Trainspotting so much of its time. Yet it has the quality of Romanian filmmaking, with depth and contemporary issues at its heart.

Working Lunch on Saturday 2nd May at Ratiu Foundation

The Romanian Film Festival will host a special working lunch at the Ratiu Foundation, 18 Fitzhardinge St, London W1H 6EQ, on Saturday 2 May 2009, at 12pm. Subjects to be discussed will include the present state of Romanian cinema and its recent successes, as well as the legacy of previous generations of film directors.

The special guests include: actor and director Horatiu Malaele, screen legend Victor Rebengiuc, veteran director Stere Gulea, charismatic star Andi Vasluianu, and documentary film director Andrei Dascalescu.

If you are interested in participating, register as soon as possible at mail@romanianculturalcentre.org.uk. The event is free of charge, but there are a limited number of seats.

Welcome!

The Romanian Film Festival is a yearly event organised by the Ratiu Family Foundation in London, UK. The 6th edition of the Festival will take place between 1st and 4th of May at the Curzon Mayfair cinema (38 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TY).

This year's title 'All Change!' is a reflection on the rapidly expanding talent that has emerged from the recently hailed Romanian New Wave, with debut features alongside new work by established directors. The theme of change is equally visible in the films’ stories, many of them served with a good dose of humour.

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