BUCHAREST IDENTITY CARD (1982) – comedy film online

Directed by: Virgil Calotescu
Script: Francisc Munteanu
Cast: Catrinel Dumitrescu, Mircea Diaconu, Draga Olteanu Matei, Octavian Cotescu, Diana Lupescu, Geo Saizescu, Constantin Diplan, Rodica Mandache, Ștefan Mihăilescu-Brăila, Mariana Calotescu, Costel Constantin, Grigore Gonța, Vasile Vlase, Petre Gheorghiu-Goe, Ion Sima, Virginia Rogin, Lucia Mureșan, Marian Rîlea, Mirabela Dauer
Producer: Vasilica Istrate, Mariana Raiciu
Cinematography by: Marian Stanciu
Edited by: Eugenia Naghi
Sound: Andrei Papp
Music: Marian Șuteu
Year: 1982
Category: Feature film
Genre: Comey, Romance
Duration: 87 minutes

46,967 – Cinepub viewers

PLOT SUMMARY

Although a graduate of the Faculty of Agronomy, Silvia’s dream is to stay in the capital. In order to get the ID that will help her get the job she wants, the girl is ready to marry for convenience, followed by a quick divorce. After much groping around, she discovers Radu, a taxi driver and future veterinarian, who is willing to do the deal for a fee. The situation gets complicated, of course, as the young couple fall in love and have to deal with all the problems that arise and manage with the “help” of friends and relatives.

AWARDS

• 1983 – ACIN – Award for male performance – Mircea Diaconu
• 1983 – Costinești – Costinești Trophy ’83 for best youth movie

CRITICAL REVIEWS:

“The urgency and “illegality” of their (the characters’) approach can’t help but recall the premise of “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” (2007, dir. Cristian Mungiu), which draws some of its DNA from “Bucharest Identity Card”. Even if it’s not about an abortion, but a more or less overlooked arrangement in the socialist petty socialist punditry, the atmosphere is there.” – Emil Vasilache, cinepub.ro

Another connection to Mungiu’s 2007 Palm D’Or-winning film is a snippet of dialog between the young couple and their lawyer (Geo Saizescu), who asks them how long they have been together. They say “three”. And he asks: months? Weeks? Days? – Emil Vasilache, cinepub.ro

“Buletin de București” contains, in a kind of socialist realism, the sketch of the romantic spirit of the late period of the SRR (Socialist Repiublic of Romania). Its air is as touching as it is compassionate. And if it hadn’t wanted so much to be a comedy, “Bucharest Identity Card” could have been a remarkable love movie – Emil Vasilache, cinepub.ro

TRIVIA:

• The director Virgil Calotescu was born on January 16, 1928, in Dobrotești, Argeș County (today, Olt County). Although he graduated from the Faculty of History in Bucharest, in 1950, being passionate about cinematography, he joined the “Sahia Film” Studio. In 1952, he made his debut in the cinema as director of the documentary film “Daruri smulse naturii”, based on a script by Pompiliu Gileman.
• Other documentaries and short films followed, such as: “The White Road”, “In the Footsteps of ’57”, “Notes from the Red Bed”, “The Last Generation of the Poor” and “The Reconstitution”, a documentary about the 1959 Romanian State Bank robbery of the century by five men and a woman, known in history as “The Ioanid Case”, after the name of the gang’s leader. The movie “The Reenactment” was not released to the public and was intended only for the internal use of the nomenklatura. In 1961, he wrote the screenplay and directed the documentary “Scoicile n-au vorbit niciodată”, the first Romanian underwater film, whose operator and co-director was the engineer and future renowned filmmaker Sergiu Nicolaescu.
• After the Revolution, he stopped directing and retired from public life. He left behind countless documentaries and artistic films, which are still enjoyed today. In his memory, the secondary school in Bascov, Argeș county, bears his name.
• The director died on May 6, 1991 in Bucharest.

LINES:

“Modern agriculture means fewer people in the fields and more machines.” – Silvia Popescu (Catrinel Dumitrescu)
“A TV cameraman told me I was telegenic” – Silvia Popescu (Catrinel Dumitrescu)
“Watch your pants carefully” – Magician Bobi (Victor Vlase)
“What time am I getting married?” – Radu Petrescu (Mircea Diaconu)
“You know the bride is cute? She has dimples.” – Eleonora Popescu (Draga Olteanu Matei)
“I hope you don’t mind if we sleep at your place tonight!” – Eleonora Popescu (Draga Olteanu Matei)
“Do you have a home?” – Silvia Popescu (Catrinel Dumitrescu)
“I don’t!” – Radu Petrescu (Mircea Diaconu)
“Mom is from the countryside, but she’s very civilized.” – Silvia Popescu (Catrinel Dumitrescu)
“I’ll find a hammer!” – Eleonora Popescu (Draga Olteanu Matei)
“Single woman in Bucharest! No man, no problems, no dishes, no children, nothing!” – Radu Petrescu (Mircea Diaconu)
“We have no style, sir! That’s the problem! Haven’t you seen in the movies? The French guy kisses her hand and slaps her, the Italian guy pac-pac him, pac-pac her, it’s working, sir! The knot beats, cries and sings, sir!” – Radu Petrescu (Mircea Diaconu)
“Justice is blind, not stupid!” – The Lawyer (Geo Saizescu)

ARTICLES:

• Bucharest Identity Card – tvr.ro
• In the 1982 movie “Bucharest Identity Card” there is a bag with the Carrefour logo, a brand that entered Romania only in 2001. How is that possible – dcnews.ro

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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