For his second film, director Radu Muntean plunges us into the confusion of the long night-day-night of Dec. 22, 1989—the moment of Ceauşescu’s overthrow and the uncertainty of its immediate aftermath. With no one sure who if anyone is running the country or whether a counter-coup has restored the dictator to power, an armored military unit hunkers down in a quiet Bucharest suburb, awaiting orders but mainly trying to stay out of trouble.

A young militiaman, Costi (Paul Ipate), eager to join the rebel forces, escapes from the unit and heads to the National Television station, where it seems a battle for control is underway; his captain, career military man Lt. Neagu (Adi Carauleanu), is worried that Costi’s desertion might lead to his unit being tagged pro-Ceauşescu (or possibly anti-). He assembles a patrol to go on a manhunt for the deserter, while nervous citizens watch history unfolding on the television sets. A gripping, taut rendition of the birth pangs of contemporary Romania, The Paper Will Be Blue is history from the ground up—an attempt to re-create historical events as they were lived by the average Romanian. — Richard Pena, Program Director, Film Society of Lincoln Center

Director: Radu Muntean
Original title: Hârtia va fi albastră
Romania, 2006, 95 min.

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The Romanian Cultural Institute of New York

About the Series:

This film is part of the series "The Romanian New Wave", a special Cinemondo presentation brought to you by Link TV in cooperation with the Romanian Cultural Institute, New York.