GRUBER’S JOURNEY (2009) – historic film online

Directed by: Radu Gabrea
Script by: Răzvan Rădulescu, Alexandru Baciu
Cast: Florin Piersic Jr., Marcel Iureș, Claudiu Bleonț, Răzvan Vasilescu, Alexandru Bindea, Andi Vasluianu, Udo Schenk, Dumitru-Paul Fălticeanu, Mihai Gruia Sandu, Cristina Bodnărescu, Trefi Alexandru
Producer: Radu Gabrea
Cinematography by: Dinu Tănase
Edited by: Melania Oproiu
Sound: Ion Geadau, James Ledner, Sorin Neagu, Florin Tăbăcaru
Music: Petru Mărgineanu
Year: 2009
Category: Feature film
Genre: History
Duration: 99 minutes

PLOT SUMMARY

In June 1941, a few days after Germany and Romania launched their attack on Soviet Russia, Curzio Malaparte, war correspondent for the Corriere della Sera newspaper, arrived in Iaşi, very close to the front line. Suffering from a severe allergy, he was advised to seek out Dr. Josef Gruber, an allergist who had studied in Florence. However, the latter was nowhere to be found and was believed to be among the Jews who had been deported from the city shortly before.

FESTIVALS:

• 2009 – European Union Film Festival in Chicago
• 2009 – Romanian Film Festival, -Tribeca Cinema, New York
• 2009 – Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne, Australia

CRITICAL REVIEWS:

“‘Gruber’s Journey’ is Gabrea’s best and most important film (perhaps rivalling ‘A Man Like Eva’, his 1984 German film about R. W. Fassbinder). It is an understatement to say that it is an undeservedly obscure film. It is cosmopolitan, sufficiently intelligent, interesting as a portrait of Curzio Malaparte and as a film adaptation of a literary work that is both essential and problematic, and, by tackling a subject that was virgin, if not taboo, from the perspective of Romanian cinema at the time, it paves the way for Florin Iepan’s documentary (2013) about the Odessa massacre and for Radu Jude’s more systematic explorations of the Romanian Holocaust.” – Andrei Gorzo, cinepub.ro

The film could also have been titled “Malaparte’s Journey”: Romania is seen through his eyes. It is an ingenious point of view, which allows for both detachment and empathy. German death technology meets Romanian bureaucracy of fate — and of drawing lots — in Moldova. Intense heat and cold numbers. You laugh in places, but the laughter freezes on your lips. It’s as if behind a Caragiale sketch there lies a Holocaust.” – Alex. Leo Șerban, agenda.liternet.ro

“Gabrea tries harder than usual. He seems to have studied Muntean’s directing in ‘The Paper Will Be Blue’: his style here favors long shots of at least two minutes, with several characters talking and moving in front of a fixed camera. In other words, he prefers to create dramatic relationships within the image rather than between images (through editing).” – Andrei Gorzo, Dilema Veche, in agenda.liternet.ro

“Rightly afraid of competition from other Romanian films (Mungiu, Porumboiu, and their buddies from the New Generation), the distributors of Gruber’s Journey bet on early fall — without realizing (not their fault) that it would be even worse timing: it would go up against Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino’s take on World War II, which in turn juggles history as it suits him. The difference is that Tarantino does it openly, while Radu Gabrea actually tries to burden our conscience a little more, already weighed down by decades of historically ungrateful events, in the service of current political correctness — because tomorrow, who knows what will happen…? The Taliban will invade us and make us admit that we discriminated against the Turks at Plevna or Niculiţel.” – Mihnea Columbeanu, agenda.liternet.ro

“An elegantly crafted story, constructed not in the tone of vitriolic and demonstrative revelations typical of a sensational talk show, but focused on subtle suggestions regarding local procrastinations that sometimes camouflaged terrible truths. Last but not least, it is a story of atmosphere, in which the apparent tranquility and picturesque locale become the perfect cover for the turbulence in the background, which resonates perfectly with the inner turmoil, shielded by the self-imposed (or, on the contrary, officially induced) calm of characters who are obviously too small and powerless for such a great war.” – Andreea Chiriac Hentea, Ziarul de duminică/ April 2009, in agenda.liternet.ro

“Gruber’s Journey is a more successful film than the modest adaptation that preceded it (The Beheaded Rooster, based on the period novel by Eginald Schlatter), which rehabilitated the director after his weakest work, Noro (on a par with co-writer Răzvan Popescu).” – Valerian Sava, observatorcultural.ro

TRIVIA:

• Radu Gabrea stated that the subject of the film had long been avoided in Romanian culture due to the lack of a public exercise of historical accountability, against the backdrop of distortions produced by communist discourse.
• Screenwriters Răzvan Rădulescu and Alexandru Baciu spent several months researching archives and historical documents in Iași.
• The parallel episodes in the film related to the Iași pogrom and the destruction of the Roznovanu wine cellars are inspired by real, historically documented events.
• The Romanian bureaucracy depicted in the film is supported by archival documents and has been described by one critic as a “tragic encounter between Kafka and Caragiale”.
• Although it starts from Curzio Malaparte’s presence in Iași, the film is not an adaptation of the novel Kaputt.
• The gala screening in Iași (September 11, 2009) was received beyond expectations, with most of the more than 800 viewers being young people — an argument invoked by the director for the necessity of the film.
• Florin Piersic Jr. was cast in the film following an audition; the actor emphasizes that he did not choose the role, but was proposed and called, and the collaboration with Radu Gabrea worked from the very first meeting.
• To prepare for the role, the actor relied mainly on the director’s instructions and stories, considering the documentation a process guided by him.
• The performance involved extensive dialogues in German and Italian, languages that Florin Piersic Jr. did not speak prior to the film.
• The linguistic preparation was carried out with the help of actor Colin Buzoianu, who assisted him daily, correcting his pronunciation and explaining the nuances of meaning; the lines were rehearsed intensively, including with the help of audio recordings.
• During filming, when the actor had difficulty memorizing a short line, Colin Buzoianu wrote the text on a piece of paper and sat next to the camera to help him—a gesture that deeply impressed Piersic Jr. and strengthened his confidence on stage.
• Florin Piersic Jr. described Radu Gabrea’s working style as that of a “tyrant who wears gloves”, demanding, sometimes harsh, but firmly focused on the end result.
• Although there were moments of artistic tension, the actor says that during filming, a professional complicity essential to performance was created between the director and the protagonist.
• The film marks the first time Florin Piersic Jr. has played the lead role in the strict cinematic sense, i.e., a character present throughout almost the entire film; previously, he had played leading roles in theater, TV series, and films, but not as the central character of the narrative.
• The actor considers that his character is not constructed as a classic hero, but as a dramatic pivot around which the other characters and their acting performances gravitate.
• The film has the merit of being the first cinematographic product to address the pogrom in Iaşi.
• Filming took place over 28 days in both Iași and Bucharest.
• The estimated budget was around €750,000.
• The film premiered in Australia on August 16 at the ACMA (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) in Melbourne.

LINES:

 • “My name is Curzio Malaparte. I am a guest of the Italian Consulate.” – Curzio Malaparte (Florin Piersic Jr.)
• “Sir, allow me to report! I told him you were busy and couldn’t see him.” – Soldier
• “What the hell, Vlădescu? I’ll teach you how to make statements!” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)
• “Don’t call me Coca, or I’ll take you and squeeze you dry!” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)
• “Gruber, is the one you’re talking about a Jewish doctor? (…) You should know that we have many specialist doctors in Iași. Haven’t you tried to see one?” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)
• “You always have to save your own skin and put mine on the line!” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)
• “I understand, I’m not stupid.” – Mircea (Andi Vasluianu)
• “Tell the gentleman to understand that we have problems too.” – Stavarache (Răzvan Vasilescu)
• “These aren’t formalities, brother, these are documents!” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)
• “Who the hell is this Gruber guy?” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)
• “Where the hell am I supposed to get gasoline? What, am I supposed to piss gasoline?” – Colonel Coca (Claudiu Bleonț)

ARTICLES:

• Review: “Malaparte’s List,” by Alex. Leo Șerban – agenda.liternet.ro
• Review: “The Beginning of a Debate?” by Alex. Leo Șerban – agenda.liternet.ro
• Review: “Approximately,” by Andrei Gorzo – agenda.liternet.ro
• Review: “The Strategy of Procrastination,” by Andreea Chiriac Hentea – agenda.liternet.ro
• Review: “A Faded Satire,” by Mihnea Columbeanu – agenda.liternet.ro
• Review: “Such a Film Was Necessary,” by Roxana Călinescu – agenda.liternet.ro
• Interview: Florin Piersic Jr.: In “Gruber’s Journey,” I play a leading role for the first time – mediafax.ro
• A film with multiple authors – observatorcultural.ro
• Cluj: The Romanian film “Gruber’s Journey” is released today – adevarul.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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