BBBB
(out of 5)
Heartbreaking drama that follows one woman as she does her best to help her friend safely procure an abortion in Communist Romania. As it is a time when any form of contraception is illegal, the situation is precarious for both women as they must navigate issues of money, privacy and one very demanding abortionist in the hopes of pulling it off without risk to them legally or physically. Shot using excruciatingly long takes during which the actors don’t miss a single beat, the film is painfully intense, steady from the get-go and extremely realistic. Anamaria Marinca is exceptional in the lead, giving a performance that keeps the film afloat, while the great Luminita Gheorghiu shines in a brief supporting role. It deals with its subject matter frankly and graphically; some audiences members might be turned off, but it’s never exploitative.
Mobra Films, Centrul National al Cinematografiei, Mindshare Media, McCann-Erickson, Televiziunea Romana, Saga Film, The Hubert Bals Fund of the Rotterdam Festival
Directed by Cristian Mungiu
Screenplay by Cristian Mungiu, script consultant Razvan Radulescu
Cinematography by Oleg Mutu
Produced by Cristian Mungiu, Oleg Mutu
Production Design by Mihaela Poenaru
Costume Design by Dana Istrate
Film Editing by Dana Bunescu
Toronto International Film Festival 2007
