Synopsis
Veronica is a cute and lively little girl from an orphanage who receives as a gift from the Fairy of Fairies a wonderful bag, which can fulfill all her wishes, on the condition that she is well-behaved, generous, respectful, and friendly..
Directed by: Elisabeta Bostan
Script: Elisabeta Bostan, Vasilica Istrate
Cast: Lulu Mihăescu, Margareta Pâslaru, Dem Rădulescu, Vasilica Tastaman, Angela Moldovan, George Mihăiță, Mihai Stan, Vali Niculescu, Cornel Patrichi, Ștefan Thuri
Producers: Mihai Opriș
Cinematography by: Iulius Druckmann
Edited by: Dan Naum
Sound: Oscar Coman
Music: Temistocle Popa
Year: 1973
Category: Feature film
Genre: Fantasy
Duration: 90 minutes
758,630 – Cinepub viewers
PLOT SUMMARY
Veronica (Lulu Mihăescu) is a cute and lively little girl who lives in an orphanage. On her birthday, when she turns 5, the Fairy of Fairies gives her an unusual object: an “enchanted little bag” that can fulfill all her wishes. There’s one condition: the girl must be well-behaved, generous, respectful, and friendly to those around her.
Delighted, Veronica forgets the promise made to the Fairy and decides to keep the gift only for herself. Upset by the girl’s selfishness, the little bag leaves her. With a heart full of regrets and tears, Veronica sets out in search of it. She enters the enchanted forest from the world of fairy tales, where she begins a true journey of initiation. She encounters a multitude of fantastic story characters, some hostile and fearsome (the cunning Fox, the fierce Tomcat Danilă, the Raven), but also true friends (the wise Firefly, the cheerful mouse Aurică and his family, the little rabbits).
Alongside these new acquaintances, good or bad, Veronica will encounter cruelty, lies, cunningness, but she will also learn the meaning of true friendship, kindness, wisdom, hard work, devotion, and courage. Helped by her new friends, she returns home, among her peers, wiser and more generous.
AWARDS
- 1973 – ACIN – Special Award (Elisabeta Bostan) and Awards for sets, costumes and soundtrack
- 1973 – Moscow – Bronze medal for the best children’s musical
- 1973 – Giffoni Valle – Special Mention
- 1974 – Winner of the Union of Romanian Filmmakers Award – Best Sound (Award for Soundtrack)
- 1974 – Winner of the Union of Romanian Cinematographers Award – Best Production Design (Scenography Award)
- 1974 – Winner of the Romanian Filmmakers’ Union Award – Best Costume Design (Costume Award)
TRIVIA
- Romania’s official submission to the 46th edition of the Academy Awards (1974) for Best Foreign Language Film.
- The screenplay of the musical film is written by Vasilica Istrate and Elisabeta (Zizi) Bostan, inspired by the world of La Fontaine’s fables.
- Lulu Mihăescu was only 3 years old and a few months old at the beginning of filming.
LINES
“I am Tomcat Dănilă, I am the fiercest tomcat.” – Tomcat Dănilă – Dem Rădulescu
ARTICLES
- Elisabeta Bostan – awarded at Gopo for the entire activity – 2009 – cinemagia.ro
- Footnotes: Veronica at 50 – Călin Boto – 2022 – filmsinframe.com
- “Veronica”, the film of our innocence – Roxana Roseti – 2008 – jurnalul.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.
