ICR Romanian Cultural Institute London

Cristian Mungiu's films @ Brighton Film Festival

The Brighton Film Festival - CineCity will screen two award films by the acclaimed Romanian film director Cristian Mungiu: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007) and Occident (2002).

Further evidence of the continuing renaissance of Romanian cinema (e.g. The Death of Mr Lazarescu, 12:08 East of Bucharest) was clearly shown when 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

The film is set over one long night and traces the attempt of two students to attain an illegal abortion during the final years of Nicolae Ceausescu's regime. Set in 1987, Otilia (Anamaria Marinca) and Gabita (Laura Vasiliu) are university roommates): when Gabita becomes pregnant, they arrange a meeting in a cheap hotel room with criminal abortionist Mr Bebe (Vlad Ivanov).
There are many standout scenes - rarely has screen realism been so nail-bitingly tense and dramatic - and a superb central performance from Anamaria Marinca as Otilia.

The screening is followed by Q&A with Mihai Chirilov, film critic and Transylvania International Film Festival director, and leading actor Vlad Ivanov.

A rare UK screening of Cristian Mungiu's debut feature, Occident is an intelligent black comedy that interweaves several stories about migration and about those who stay behind. Life does not seem to have much to offer in Romania. Almost everyone, young and old, wants to leave for a life abroad. Luci and his girlfriend Sorina have just been made homeless. Sorina's father would have found something for them but he has been dead for years. They go to his grave looking for a sign from heaven…

In Occident's clever and complex screenplay the central characters influence each other's lives without even realising it and events become linked in a way that gives them unexpected meanings.

The screening is followed by Q&A with Mihai Chirilov, film critic and Transylvania International Film Festival director.

Mihai Chirilov and Vlad Ivanov are guests of the Romanian Cultural Institute.

When: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days on 23 November, 6.30 pm, at Duke of York's Picturehouse and Occident on 24 November, 2 pm, at Duke of York's Picturehouse
Where: Duke of York's Picturehouse, Preston Circus, Brighton, BN1 4NA
Tickets: £7/£6 conc. Box office: 0871 704 2056