Synopsis
A reporter discovers a highly organized network for the production and distribution of wine. It’s a satire of the communist regime.
Directed by: Geo Saizescu
Script: Titus Popovici
Cast: Emil Hossu, Ștefan Mihăilescu-Brăila, Dem Rădulescu, Gheorghe Dinică, Sebastian Papaiani, Jean Constantin, Rodica Mureșan, Corneliu Gîrbea, Dumitru Rucăreanu, Enikõ Szilágyi, Carmen Zecheru, Horațiu Mălăele, Cristian Ștefănescu, Octavian Cotescu, Ileana Stana Ionescu
Producers: Romulus Lal
Cinematography by: Aurel Kostrachievici
Edited by: Elena Pantazică
Sound: ing. Daniel Russu
Muzică: Temistocle Popa
Year: 1984
Category: feature film
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 118 minutes
250,290 – Cinepub viewers
PLOT SUMMARY
Victor, un ziarist incisiv, descoperă o serie de nereguli într-o intreprindere agricolă de stat. Investigaţiile temerarului jurnalist vor scoate la iveală escrocheriile comise de către responsabilul unei unităţi de desfacere a vinului, supranumit Bachus. Deşi ajutat de un număr impresionant de acoliţi, Bachus nu-şi va putea ascunde la infinit infamul secret.
CRITICAL REVIEWS
A sympathetic, spiritual duo, outlined with irony and self-irony (…) and charm, a lot of charm, due of course to the performers Carmen Galin – Emil Hossu. A couple that gives the comedy with grave-bitter accents, like any self-respecting comedy, a lyrical-optimistic tonality. (…) The just judicial balance, even when the fall of the masks is delayed, but its imminence is felt, becomes a certainty. So much evil, destructive inventiveness on the one hand, so much demystifying inventive-constructive reaction, on the other, finding defensive and counter-offensive weapons sometimes in the very tactics of the opponent. I think that this is the secret of the new success of the satirical genre – a genre so difficult to reconcile in finding the intimate tonality”, Alice Mănoiu – agerpres.ro
AWARDS
- Titus Popovici won the 1984 Award for Best Screenplay from the Romanian Filmmakers Association (ACIN)
- Ștefan Mihăilescu-Brăila won the Award for Best Male Performance.
ARTICLES
- The Secret of Bacchus – a communist story with a hint of booze – historia.ro
- „The Secret of Bacchus”, the biggest scam in socialist Romania. The story that inspired the famous Romanian film – playtech.ro
- The Secret of Bacchus (1984) – 2022 – Bogdan JITEA – iiccmer.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.
