Bruno Cathomas
- 2006
The pull between Eastern Europe and the West is symbolized in a story of love and difficult choices brought to the screen by filmmaker Didi Danquart. Nicu (Razvan Vasilescu) is a man well into middle age who runs a successful print shop in Bucharest. Brindusa (Alexandra Maria Lara) is a beautiful younger woman who works at the shop with Nicu -- she's his receptionist and does translating for him when necessary, but their working relationship is sometimes complicated by the fact they used to be lovers. Stefan (Felix Klare) is a printing engineers who has come from Germany to install a new printing press at Nicu's shop. While working with Stefan, Brindusa finds herself becoming attracted to the handsome German, and Stefan is deeply infatuated with her. Nicu, however, finds anger and jealousy growing inside himself as he sees sparks fly between them, and when he learns that Stefan has asked Brindusa to marry him and leave Romania for Germany, he begins to lose control of his emotions. Offset was screened as part of the 2006 Rome Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alexandra Maria Lara, Felix Klare, (more)
This film takes place in 1935 in a once-tranquil valley in the Black Forest, where Jewish cattle dealer Levi goes every year to do business. This year, he also wants to propose to Lisbeth Horger. But the valley seems to have changed. Workers from the National Railway are repairing damage in the train tunnel, and their presence has changed the spirit of the closed-off valley. The town hopes for an economic upswing, but the workers also introduce Nazi ideology. Farmer Horger will no longer sell his cattle to Jews. Swastika flags appear on the tables of the local pub. Someone slashes the tires of Levi's car. Nobody will defend Levi except Lisbeth, but the era does not favor their union. People are caught in the confrontation between the old and the new order; they end up doing things they don't really want to do. Thomas Strittmatter, author of the play on which the film is based, constructed the narrative from recollections of stories told by his family and neighbors about a Jewish cattle dealer, Levi. The theme of the film has universal qualities; the outsider and his wish to integrate are applicable to many contemporary ethnic conflicts. Viehjud Levi was screened at the International Forum of New Cinema section of the 49th Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruno Cathomas, Caroline Ebner, (more)
