A LIGHT ON THE 10th FLOOR (1984) – psychological drama film online

Directed by: Malvina Urșianu
Script by: Malvina Urșianu
Cast: Irina Petrescu, Gheorghe Dinică, Mircea Diaconu, Ion Niciu, Valeriu Paraschiv, Eusebiu Ștefănescu, Florina Luican
Producer: Anca Georgescu
Cinematography by: Sorin Ilieșiu
Edited by: Adina Georgescu-Obrocea
Sound: Constantin Ciucă, Andrei Papp, Gabriel Pavelescu
Music: Vasile Șirli
Year: 1984
Category: Feature film
Genre: Psychological Drama
Duration: 99 minutes

PLOT SUMMARY

A young engineer struggles to regain her dignity after serving five years in prison following a wrongful accusation of economic sabotage.

AWARDS:

• 1984 – ACIN Awards – Best Actress (Irina Petrescu)
• 1984 – ACIN Awards – Best Editing (Adina Georgescu)

FESTIVALS:

• 2011 – Romanian Cinematheque / Romanian Cultural Institute London retrospective screening

CRITICAL REVIEWS:

“A film about the dignity of a tenacious woman trying to regain a sense of normalcy.” – Romanian Cultural Institute, London

“A Light on the Tenth Floor is a film that exudes the dignity with which a person tries to start over, to regain the taste and colors of life, darkened by years of detention, trying to forget the injustice of a bygone era, to forget it so as to survive.” – Alice Mănoiu, Cinema magazine, 1984

“I don’t think the simple, functional lines of communist urbanism have ever been depicted like this before, highlighted and woven into an image that is as clean and powerful as it is nostalgic and alienating. The film sometimes has something of *The Red Desert* (1964) in its depiction of iron and concrete as an expressive backdrop, as an external echo of the protagonist’s inner world.” – Alex Mircioi, F-sides.ro, Malvina Urșianu between the pages of history.

TRIVIA:

• Release date: October 26, 1984
• Malvina Urșianu was the only female director, and one of the fewest worldwide, who directed excusively author fims
• One of the director’s most representative films, inspired by her own life story.
• In 1959, while filming “March Wind,” Malvina Urșianu was arrested for “ideological sabotage” and banned from film sets for eight years.

QUOTES:

 • The past is a thing of the past, as someone once said. And besides, it’s healthier
• ·I’m never just there by chance, anywhere
• Sometimes other people’s joy feels almost insulting — like an act of defiance
• Have a coffee with me—here, it’s ready. And don’t worry, the working class doesn’t suffer from insomnia

ARTICLES:

• „O lumină la etajul 10” de Malvina Urșianu la Cinemateca Românească – ICR London
• „O lumină la etajul 10”, Alice Mănoiu, revista Cinema, 1984
• „Malvina Urșianu: între paginilie istoriei”, Alex Mircioi – F-sides.ro
• „Malvina Urșianu, marea doamnă a filmului de autor”, Călin Căliman – Contemporanul

This premiere is part of a national archive project supported by the Romanian National Film Centre.
Special thanks goes to the Romanian Filmmakers Union and to the Romanian Film Archive.

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