Synopsis
The not so green green grass of home
Alexandru Papadopol, Ioana Flora, Andi Vasluianu, Florin Zamfirescu, Natașa Raab, Sorin Cociș and Mirela Oprișor are the actors in Back Home, a film that had its international premiere at Sarajevo in 2015. The screenplay of this Romanian film is based on a dramatic play written by the actor (and playwright) Mimi Brănescu, an emblematic figure of the New Romanian Wave. The play was released at Act Theater in Bucharest, owned by the famous Romanian actor Marcel Iureș, who also played the father’s part.
Director: Andrei Cohn
Scriptwriter: Mimi Brănescu
Cast: Alexandru Papadopol, Ioana Flora, Andi Vasluianu, Florin Zamfirescu, Natașa Raab, Sorin Cociș and Mirela Oprișor
Produced by: Anca Puiu, Giuliano Doman, Magdolna Cecília Eröss, Csaba László Eröss
Cinematography by: Andrei Butică
Film editing by: Andrei Iancu
Year: 2015
Category: feature film
Genre: drama
Duration: 91 minutes
Subtitles: english
Territories: –
1,517,660 – Cinepub viewers
PLOT SUMMARY
Robert is a young writer passing through a crisis moment in his life. For the first time since his mother passed away he decides to return to his native village. He spends there 24 hours and, after many years, he meets his father, his best friend from childhood and his former girlfriend. 24 hours of questioning all these relationships.
Read more…
„Back home” is not one of those Romanian films about the nostalgic and healing return home, but a movie in which the idea of „home” is only a station, and not even one in which the main character can rest for a while, but, on the contrary, a twisted and tense one, full of rearranging of the past relationships in the scheme of the present. Robert, a writer and a journalist from Bucharest, returns home for the first time since his mother’s death. He knows that his father has a new partner, so, when returning, he is very well aware of the fact that he doesn’t come back to a comfortable place, where he can sit quietly and think about the problems of his current life.
It’s even possible that this is exactly what he looks for: a break out, a stronger conflict to reshape his relationship both to the past and the present. The meeting with Petrică, his former best friend from childhood, and with Paula, his girlfriend from his teenage years – now a shop assistant at the village market, is to bring him that, and even more.
This is the kind of Romanian film based on brilliant dialogue and the great acting that highlights the atmosphere of the story, making up for the lack of stress on action.
Reviews:
„Based on a dramatic play and a screenplay written by (the actor and playwright) Mimi Brănescu, the film presents itself as a farce hiding a long time boiling drama about the feeling of failure and the regret after the lost youth.” (Ionuț Mareș, – www.ziarulmetropolis.ro )
„What`s interesting and quite beautiful about Back Home is the fact that underneath a simple story, linear, with thin and often disarticulate dialogues (it`s important to notice that the women have a more logical thinking than the men and that they are more profound), you can see how the portraits of these people are clearly drawn and you can also feel the director`s empathy towards them. Each of them has his/her inner life, with his/her own hopes and disappointments. Because, as Andrei Cohn likes to say, even two people eating at a table bear the load of their lives that deserves our attention.” (Cristina Corciovescu – www.aarc.ro )
Lines
„Why do you keep asking me when I’m leaving? I don’t know when I’m leaving. No idea.”
„Are you threatening me?
Not threatening you, warning you.”
„If you asked me, I’d tell you that poetry is and it isn’t.”
It’s not for everyone to achieve what you’ve achieved.”
„You see? You don’t even have to do anything. We sit and look at you even when you’re silent.
„His wife is like a sister to him.”
„I’ve never been to London in my life. I lied to you.”
Festivals
- European Film Festival (Bucharest) – Romania, 2015
Awards
Nomination:
- Best Actor in a Leading Role (Alexandru Papadopol), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Andi Vasluianu), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Mirela Oprișor), Best Screenplay (Mimi Brănescu), Best Cinematography (Andrei Butică), Best First Feature Film (Andrei Cohn), Best Sound (Sorin Neagu) – Gopo Awards – Romania, 2016
- Heart of Sarajevo, Best Film (Andrei Cohn), International Film Festival – Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2015
Winner:
- Best Actress (Ioana Flora), Gopo Awards – Romania, 2016
Media articles
- ‘Back Home’ (‘Acasa la tata’): Sarajevo Review – www.hollywoodreporter.com
- Andrei Cohn • Director – interview – www.cineeuropa.org
