With characteristic idiosyncratic flair, acclaimed director and author Mark Cousins curates a series of Romanian film, revisiting 100 years of cinematic haunting eeriness, delicious sarcasm and groundbreaking miserabilism, which have been amassed some of the highest distinctions of the seventh art.
"Movie lovers know that, in recent years, Romanian directors have been making inventive masterpieces. Films like The Death of Mr Lazarescu and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days have won awards and acclaim around the world.
It's time to remind ourselves that Romania has always made great cinema. My selection takes us from art film classics, to a wry comedy, a bold film directed by a woman and a brave animation and up to date, to the best of New Romanian Cinema. It's a rare chance to explore this undervalued, fascinating, beautifully shot and politically complex national cinema. I'm delighted to help introduce you to a treasure trove." – Mark Cousins
Aferim! by Radu Jude, winner of the 2015 Silver Bear at Berlin Film Festival | Followed by Q&A via skype with director Radu Jude
Wed 14 Oct, 20.30 | Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, EH3 9BZ | £9 and £7.20 conc. Tickets.
Regarded as one of the amplest Romanian cinema projects in the past years, Aferim! is a historical film whose action is placed in the dawn of 19th Century Wallachia. The main character, a state tax collector, accompanied by his son, searches for a fugitive gypsy slave.
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Stone Wedding by Dan Pița & Mircea Veroiu, selected at Cannes Film Festival 1973 | Followed
by Q&A via skype with director Dan Pița.
Thu 15 Oct, 19.00 | Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, EH9 1PL | £5 and £4 conc. Tickets.
“Rigorous, beautifully acted, as bold as Eisenstein, and with a haunting, sung commentary. One of the world’s great movies.” Mark Cousins
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The Death of Mr Lăzărescu by Cristi Puiu
Wed 4 Nov, 20.00 | Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, EH3 9BZ | £9 and £7.20 conc. Tickets.
The film that ignited the much-discussed Romanian New Wave, Cristi Puiu's extraordinary second feature traces the odyssey of Dante Remus Lăzărescu as he journeys through a public health system, with doctors refusing to treat him.
The masterpiece depicts a universal theme - death and hospitals - with humanity and dark humour. A critical success, being awarded Un Certain Regard at the Festival de Cannes and numerous awards at other international film festivals (47 prizes in 2006).
