Focusing on a typical representative of Romanian new bourgeoisie trying to protect her son from prison sentence, the film is a critical examination of the Romanian state administration, especially the police and judicial branches. Winner of Best Film Award at the 2013 Berlin FF.
One cold evening in March, Barbu is tearing down the streets 50 kilometres per hour over the speed limit when he knocks down a child. The boy dies shortly after the accident. A prison sentence of between three and fifteen years awaits. High time for his mother, Cornelia, to intervene. Member of Romania’s upper class, she commences her campaign to save her lethargic, languishing son. Bribes, she hopes, will persuade the witnesses to give false statements. Even the parents of the dead child might be appeased by some cash to give perjured testimonies and help save her son from prison sentence.
»As I show in the film, there is still corruption in society, and it’s going to take a very long time for it to go away. But we are heading in the right direction. Ten years ago it would have been much worse.«
- Calin Peter Netzer
Calin Peter Netzer
Born in Petrosani, Romania, in 1975. His family immigrated to Germany in 1983. In 1994 he returned to Romania to study film directing in Bucharest. After a series of short films, he attained recognition with his 2003 feature film debut, Maria.