A film-student working on her diploma-film meets with Cristi Sãndulescu, who was wrongfully convicted of the brutal murder of a young woman. The police – eager to bring the case to a close – knowingly arrested the wrong man. Under the pressure of physical and psychological torture, Cristi’s wife and friends begin to believe in his guilt and make statements to that effect; even Cristi finally confesses. Five years later, the real killer is caught – a psychopath who even brags about the murders he committed. Cristi Sãndulescu is set free. Through flashbacks, the film shows us how the life of a carefree man was totally and utterly destroyed. At first, Cristi seeks revenge, but learns all too soon that it will not change his situation nor bring him peace of mind. Everybody blames the system and points to Ceausescu, who is said to have given the orders personally.
In Romania, the film started a discussion about the country’s totalitarian past and its consequences for present society. It implies that people do not learn from history, because only personal experience allows them to understand. This gap between the generations is a leitmotiv of the film: Cristi’s father was a political prisoner, a fact that does not interest his son until his own life takes a similar turn. When he finally gets out of jail and tries to teach his kids about political symbolism, his wife meets him with an utter lack of comprehension. Even his interview-partner shows little compassion and – towards the end – a complete lack of interest. Who today wants to hear about the old socialist past, anyway? - Deutsches Film Institute
Director: Titus Muntean
Original title: Examen
Romania, 2002, 88 min
Accompanying this film on Link TV is the Romanian New Wave short film "Dincolo", available to watch online:
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Dincolo - Watch Now Online!
A short film about an old overweight postal worker who, when nagged by his wife, joins a weekly caravan of local villagers who cross the border to sell their goods for hard currency. |
LEARN MORE:
The Romanian Cultural Institute of New York
The New York Times coverage of the Romanian New Wave
This film is part of the series The Romanian New Wave, a special Cinemondo presentation brought to you by Link TV in association with the Romanian Cultural Institute, New York.
Starting in 2001, Romanian cinema surprised the world with a group of new filmmakers in their late thirties. Their movies - intense, dark humored and down to earth - were consistent with a radical belief that film in Romania could break through artistically. Responding to the hectic and sometimes chaotic post-Communist landscape, they took simple life stories and urban fables, and turned them into globally affecting films.
Broadly acclaimed by the international film press, and stubbornly productive despite a lack of resources, these young directors were regarded at first with disdain by Romanian critics. Yet slowly but surely they gained legitimacy, winning awards at Cannes and other major film festivals, and in the process putting Romanian cinema on the world map.
The films in this special series all come from this “new wave” of Romanian filmmakers. Few of them have had any theatrical exposure in the U.S., and through Cinemondo will reach a nationwide TV audience for the first time. Among the many highlights are Cristi Puiu’s Stuff and Dough, Porumboiu’s 12:08 East of Bucharest, Muntean’s The Paper Will Be Blue, and Nemescu’s Marilena From P7. Because documentary filmmaking has flourished alongside fictional films in Romania, three outstanding works are included in the series: Bar de Zi, Cold Waves and Testimony.
The Romanian New Wave series is a joint project of Link TV and the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, which arranged for these gems of world cinema to appear on Cinemondo and reach millions of American homes. Enjoy!
Corina Suteu, Director, Romanian Cultural Institute in New York
Steven Lawrence, Vice President, Music & Cultural Programming, Link TV
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