Synopsis

Carfin is on the run. He belongs to the Roma people and as a serf he belongs to a boyar. Who, unfortunately, accused him of seducing his wife. Constandin, a gendarme, and his son chase after the escaped fugitive by horse. On their bizarre ride through a depraved world they encounter masses of people with different nationalities and religions as well as the really vulgar humour of the rural population. Be it Christians or Jews, Hungarians, Turks, Russians or Romanians – the only common ground in Wallachia around the time of 1835 seems to have been mutual prejudices and hostility. While Constandin finds comfort and excuses within old wisdoms and sayings, his son is struck with speechlessness in the light of the multiethnic confusion. With his at times shockingly brutal, at times quite amusing parable, based on old songs and historical documents, Radu Jude accomplishes to envision the dark past of his place of origin as well as the chasms of human actions and behaviour in scarily beautiful black-and-white footage. The political Balkan Western about social barriers, the treatment of minorities and about dealing with nationalism, which The Hollywood Reporter labelled as the Romanian answer to 12 Years a Slave, was rewarded among others with the Silver Bear for best direction in Berlin.

Guests

Ada Solomon

Ada Solomon
Producer Aferim!, Trading Germans
In Vienna: October 8-11

Toma Cuzin

Toma Cuzin
Actor Aferim! 
In Vienna: October 8-11