Synopsis

State of Things is a 1995 Romanian drama film directed by Stere Gulea. The main actors of the cast were: Oana Pellea, Mircea Rusu, Dan Condurache, Răzvan Vasilescu, Șerban Celea, Luminița Gheorghiu, Mara Grigore, Cornel Scripcaru și Silviu Stănculescu. The film was selected as the Romanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 69th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

Oana Pellea in State of Things - directed by Stere Gulea - CINEPUB - feature film

Directed by: Stere Gulea
Script: Stere Gulea, Eugen Uricariu
Cast: Oana Pellea, Mircea Rusu, Dan Condurache, Răzvan Vasilescu, Șerban Celea, Luminița Gheorghiu, Mara Grigore, Cornel Scripcaru și Silviu Stănculescu
Producer: STUDIOUL NR.3 R.A.CINEROM
Cinematography: Vivi Drăgan Vasile, Alexandru Solomon
Edited by: Mircea Ciocâlței
Costumes: Svetlana Mihăilescu
Music: Doru Caplescu
Sound: Horea Murgu
Year: 1995
Category: feature film
Genre: comedy, drama
Duration: 90 minutes

118,416 – Cinepub viewers

PLOT SUMMARY

December 21, 1989. Street protests are taking place in Bucharest against the Ceausescu regime. At dusk, the authorities began to punish those who demonstrated peacefully by using the torture equipment. A nurse and her boyfriend, a doctor, take in a wounded young man that knocks on their door. He was injured during protests against the communist regime. They take care of him and take him to the hospital where they work. The next morning, the nurse finds him in the morgue, shot in the head. Both of them are pressured by agents of the communist secret police (Securitate) to forget everything. While the doctor gives in, the nurse refuses even though she is being threatened, framed, imprisoned, beaten, tortured and raped.

More details …

The screenplay for the movie was actually written by the director Stere Gulea and novelist Eugen Uricaru after an idea of director Lucian Pintilie. The subject of the film is the wrongful conviction of a nurse for stealing medicines that arrived as aids during the December 1989 Revolution. Falsifying the forensic reports of those shot by a security officer later transformed her into a revolutionary. With the tacit agreement of those who set themselves up as leaders of the revolutionaries, the woman is framed for theft in order to convince her to “forget” the events she witnessed. The director Stere Gulea found out from the press about this incident and was surprised by the abuses committed by a new society that intended to eliminate the abuses made by the communist dictatorial regime. He wanted to present a hidden and dark side of the December 1989 Revolution and to highlight the idea that political power was also taken over by individuals belonging to the old regime.

What critics say:

Narrated breathlessly, the story of Alberta includes more subtle details and references than it seemed at first glance. In the passages of the atmosphere of Television we see small cautionary scenes that taunt the demagogues and chameleons who rushed to speak the first, the pathetic believers who try so hard to wash away their sins. But sarcasm is not the dominant tone, but a peculiar sadness specific to the post-revolutionary disappointments. A depressing sadness as in the emblematic sequence of the State actually where in the television studio it is snowing with polyester flakes, while on the window you can see how it really snows. We must admit that it is an image (and the merit of Vasile Vivi Drăgan) that says more than it could in some words. (Dana Duma, Noul Cinema nr. 12/1995

Alexandru Paleologu on the film

„Stere Gulea’s most recent film, State of Things, takes the «state of things» (presented in his former film, Vulpe Vânător), a step further, but it does so with an infinitely increased force while the action is conveyed as an inexorable course of events. This shattering film – ridden with a type of realism and lucidity which pushes the limits far beyond what is bearable -, is, in fact, an important film bearing a Christian message. The heroine (Alberta) is a witness, which is literally equivalent to the notion of a martyr [T.N. Greek etymology, μάρτυρ (mártur), martor in Romanian]. She is an invincible victim because she irreversibly assumes the highest moral and redemptive decision: taking one’s cross and becoming a follower of Christ.” (Film brochure)

Lines:

“You can shout all you want about what you’ve seen. No one is going to listen because no one is interested in anything. This is the state of things.”

“Why aren’t you talking to me? Can’t you see that we’ve become «us» and «you»?”

“Why don’t you want to know?”

Awards:

  • 1994-1995 – UCIN – Awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Oana Pellea), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Răzvan Vasilescu, Mircea Rusu), Best Sound;
  •  1996 – San Marino – Grand Prix “Targa d’oro”;
  •  1996 – Geneva – Best Actress (Oana Pellea);
  •  1997 – Batumi – Best Actress (Oana Pellea).

Articles:

  • Himera – Atenţie, cineaştii noştri filmează!  – Irina Coroiu – aarc.ro
  • „Personajul meu nu e o eroină, e făcut din carne și sânge” – Interviu de lulia Blaga – aarc.ro
  • Un film despre Revoluție, despre noi, despre prezent, despre viitor  – Interviu de Călin Stănculescu – aarc.ro
  • Pe temelii prea elastice nu se poate zidi ceva care să reziste  – Nicolae Prelipceanu – aarc.ro
  • Un film în calea uitării  – Călin Stănculescu – aarc.ro
  • „Stare de fapt” – Un film de Stere Gulea – Dana Duma – aarc.ro
  • „Stare de fapt” – Filmul Oanei Pellea  – Adina Darian – aarc.ro
  • La a doua premieră: „Stare de fapt” – Dana Duma – aarc.ro
Be more than a spectator!
SUPPORT CINEPUB
MONTHLY DONATION
If you like us, if you read what we write, if you watch the movies we show, reach out to us, friend! We need help. Thank you!
DONATE!
I want to DONATE one time only
2 EURO
5 EURO
10 EURO
20 EURO
50 EURO
Why we need your support?
Be more than a spectator!
SUPPORT CINEPUB
MONTHLY DONATION
If you like us, if you read what we write, if you watch the movies we show, reach out to us, friend! We need help. Thank you!
DONATE!
I want to DONATE one time only
2 EURO
5 EURO
10 EURO
20 EURO
50 EURO
Why we need your support?