4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS
aka 4 LUNI, 3 SAPTAMINI SI 2 ZILE
Year: 2007
USA: IFC Films
UK: Artificial Eye
Cast: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alex Potocean, Luminita Gheorghiu, Adi Carauleanu, Liliana Mocanu, Tania Popa, Teo Corban, Cerasela Iosifescu, Doru Ana, Eugenia Bosânceanu, Ioan Sabdaru, Christina Buburuz, Marioara Sterian, Emil Coseru, Georgeta Paduraru Burdujan, Geo Dobre, Madalina Ghitescu, Catalina Harabagiu, Sânziana Tarta, Mihaela Alexandru, Hazim E'layan, Monica Alexandrescu, Simona Stoicescu, Alexandru Conovaru, Ion Grosu, Traian Tudorica State, Cristian Ciuzan, Iancu Daniel, Robert Emanuel, Constantin Bojog, Cristina Iosif, Adina Cristescu, Calin Puia, Costica Babii
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Country: Romania
Language: Romanian (English subtitles)
USA & UK: 113 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and abortion theme
USA Release Date: 23 January 2008 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 11 January 2008
US Distributor
UK Distributor
Synopsis
This year's Palme d'Or winner, 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS continues to captivate audiences and critics alike and has recently been awarded The GRAND PRIX for best film of 2007 by the international body of critics, FIPRESCI.
Set during the final days of the Romanian communist regime, 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS explores the restrictions on freedom and choice in mid 80's Romania. It forms part of the recent wave of reflective cinema from that region which is producing some of the most exhilarating and challenging cinema of the moment.
Otilia and Gabita share the same room in a student dormitory. They are colleagues at the local university in this small town in Romania, during the last years of communism. Otilia rents a room in a cheap hotel. In the afternoon, they are going to meet Mr Bebe. Gabita is pregnant, abortion is illegal and neither of them have experienced something like this before.
4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS belongs to a larger project called: 'Tales from the Golden Age' (Amintiri din Epoca de Aur) - a subjective history of communism in Romania told through its urban legends. The project's aim is to produce films by a series of directors, covering this period of Romanian history but with no direct reference to communism. 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS is the first film of the series.
From director Cristian Mungiu
"The screenplay starts from the kind of personal experience that people usually don't share with others," explained the director. "It is the story of consequences that are more often untold, even hidden, but common to many. Above all it is an abortion story from a period of time when such an act was an act of protest against a regime which sought to impose discipline by banning abortion."
"In 1966, a law banning abortion was imposed in Romania. The effect was immediate. The average number of children in a classroom increased from 28 to 36. The number of classes in schools increased from 2 or 3 to 9 or 10. When I entered school, there were seven Cristians in my class - there were not enough names to go around. Women quickly started to resort to illegal abortions. By the end of communism, reliable sources say that more than 500,000 women had died as a result. In that context, abortion lost any moral connotation and was rather perceived as an act of rebellion and resistance against the regime. After 1989, one of the first measures taken in the free country was to legalize abortion again. The consequence was almost one million abortions in the first year - a number far greater than in any country in Europe. Even today, abortion is still used as a method of contraception in Romania, with more than 300, 000 cases being reported annually."
