Corneliu Porumboiu Movies
- 2009
A cop finds himself growing uncomfortable with his latest assignment in this study in the nature of power and authority from Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu. Cristi (Dragos Bucur) is a seasoned police detective who has just gotten married to Anca (Irina Saulescu) and wants to keep his superiors happy. Cristi's boss, Nelu (Ion Stoica), has ordered the detective to keep a close watch on Victor (Radu Costin), a teenager who is suspected of dealing drugs for a local cartel. Cristi has spent several weeks following Victor's actions and is certain that the kid smokes marijuana with his friends, but isn't any kind of drug pusher and should be left alone. Cristi is also aware that Romanian authorities are expected to relax their laws regarding drugs in the near future, making it all but pointless to possibly ruin Victor's life by bringing him in, but while Nelu understands Cristi's thinking, he's not so willing to let the youngster off so easily. Politist, Adj. (aka Police, Adjective) was an official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, (more)
Gil-Scott Heron once wrote "the revolution will not be televised," but one Romanian newsman attempts to put his nation's revolution on the air after the fact in this satiric comedy from writer and director Corneliu Porumboiu. It's the sixteenth anniversary of the revolt that removed Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu from power in Romania, and Jderescu (Ion Sapdaru) is the host of a televised public affairs show who wants to do a special program on the revolution. Jderescu's idea is to bring on a handful of ordinary citizens to discuss their role in Ceausescu's overthrow and how their lives have changed since Communist rule was swept from Romania. However, Jderescu can only round up two guests for his broadcast -- elderly Piscoci (Mircea Andreescu), who's more interested in playing Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids than talking politics, and Manescu (Teo Corban), a schoolteacher nursing a brutal hangover. As Jderescu tries to lead a serious discussion of how Romania has changed since Ceausescu was driven from power, the conversation wanders off on a tangent about where the revolution actually took place, and the waters become even more muddied when Jderescu opens up the phone lines for questions from viewers, most of whom have their own distinct (and strongly conflicting) memories of the Revolution . . . and one of which has a bone to pick with Manescu over some drunken insults he hurled the night before. A Fost Sau n-a Fost? (aka 12:08 East of Bucharest) received its North American premier at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mircea Andreescu, Teo Corban, (more)
- 2004
In this short film by Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu, a man named Liviu wakes up one morning from a disturbing dream that he cannot remember. All he knows of his nighttime vision is that it has changed his view of the world, and has perhaps coincided with the birth of his child. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Corneliu Porumboiu's ten-minute short Gone with the Wine concerns a young man who wants to leave his small Romanian village to start life over in Britain. The last thing he must do before the move is to pass a medical examination, an activity that becomes much more difficult than he ever could have anticipated. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
