4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS

Romania, 2007, 113 minutes, Colour.
Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu.
Directed by Cristian Mungiu.

A completely overwhelming film that is gruelling to sit through. It is strikingly made and performed. It won the Palme D’ Or.

In 2005, the Romanians gave the world an emotionally draining picture of dying and hospital indifference in The Death of Mr Lazarescu. (This film has the same Cinematographer and Editor/Sound Designer). Now we are offered an equally emotionally draining picture of an illegal abortion. The reality and facts are laid before us for our intellectual and emotional response without a didactic moralising. However, audiences are forced to think about their moral stances. Those against abortion will need no persuading. Those who are in favour will be challenged to look at the issues and their consequences. In fact, the title does seem to make a moral statement about life. The setting is 1987.

This is the response of a male viewer. We need to hear the impact on a female audience, especially concerning the abortion scenes and the talk and behaviour of the abortionist, a man.

The structure of the film (which takes place during one winter day) is a series of chapters in the life of two university roommates, Gabita who is pregnant and her friend Otilia. Laura Vasiliu and, especially, Anamaria Marinca as Otilia are totally real.

We seem to spend a lot of initial time watching Gabita pack and Otilia doing the rounds of the dorm. It is fly on a wall observation of people. We are not sure what the issue is at this stage but it is not a difficult guess. Then Otilia books a hotel room. She meets the abortionist and a palpably excruciating discussion ensues with the man pulling no punches in description nor in the price from both women he demands. We look objectively at the procedure.

Surprisingly one of the best dinner sequences in film follows as Otilia goes to her boyfriend’s mother’s birthday party. One long take with her at the centre, furious and anxious, listening to the older generation describe life under Communist rule (good old days). We are not spared the aftermath of the abortion and a nightmarish episode as Otilia tries to dispose of the foetus.

Totally disturbing and challenging, brilliantly made.

1.The impact of the film? Romanian? The background of Romania itself, the communist era? Changes? The title – and its coming from ‘Tales from the Golden Age’ (reappraisal of the communist era)?

2.Abortion as the issue, abortion in itself, the consequences for the women, the abortionist, in Romania, banned during the communist era, legalised afterwards?

3.The presentation of facts, details, characters, story – plain and straightforward? Different audience presuppositions for and against? The impact of the film on each camp?

4.The emotional impact, intellectual, moral? Moral stances or not? The title and the implications of the life span of the foetus? Whatever the moral stances, the impact, assessing the procedures, the effects, the personal repercussions?

5.The plain visual style: real locations, natural lighting, camera movements, the audience and its observation, fly-on-the-wall style?

6.The structure of the film, the chapters: the long takes, the set pieces, their effect? The cumulative effect, the gruelling experience?

7.The 1987 setting, the university dorm, the limitations, rations, electricity, gas, black market? The squalid aspects – and the attempts at modernity?

8.The opening, Gabita and Otilia, on and off screen, the fixed camera, the detail of the packing, the cleaning of the room, real time? Gabita and her hesitations, her father’s coming, packing, her study notes, the plastic? Otilia as practical, going to the showers, getting the hairdryer, going to the rooms, talking with the women, buying the cigarettes and the soap, getting ready? The students, the preparation for exams? The audience puzzled as to where this was leading?

9.Otilia going to the hotel, the booking, it not being there, arguing? Her going to the other hotel, trying to persuade, getting the room, the higher costs? Issues of keys, IDs? Phoning Gabita? Going to her boyfriend, his exam, their discussions, the tensions, his wanting her to come to his mother’s birthday party, her hesitance? Her going to meet Mr Bebe, the arguments, going in the car, to the hotel?

10.The hotel sequence: the two women, the abortionist, his presence, giving in his ID at the desk, the wrong hotel, his manner? Personality, objective, saying he was married with children? Accusing the girls? His great attention to detail, their not fulfilling the requirements, the risk? His intimidating them, the issues of money? The girls’ lies? His rules? Giving them time for agreeing to the abortion or not? Gabita being desperate? The risks, their fears, the discussion? Gabita’s lies about the term of her pregnancy (and the reason given to Otilia)? The sex and the effect on Otilia, cleaning herself? Giving herself for her friend’s sake, the repercussions for the rest of the night? The detailed look at the procedures? Knowledge of the penalties? The warning to Gabita to lie still, the details of the procedure for the foetus, for disposal? Audience response to this? Men? Women?

11.Gabita and the effect of the procedure, feeling exposed, the pain, covering herself, having to lie still?

12.Otilia, the aftermath, her hurrying to the boyfriend’s house, upset, not bringing the flowers, his reprimands, his friendly mother? Persuading her to stay? The set piece of the dinner, Otilia centre-screen, the talk going on all around her (and all done in a single take)? Reminiscences about the old days, gossip, ideology, young people smoking cigarettes and lacking respect …? Her feelings, anger, detachment? The toast?

13.The argument with the boyfriend, wanting to phone Gabita, discussing if she were pregnant, his behaviour, his attitude towards abortion, his apology and her demanding why he was apologising? Her leaving, leaving him at the lift?

14.The sketch of the boyfriend, his mother, father, the guests?

15.The nightmare of the disposal of the foetus, Otilia going back, the close-up on the bathroom floor? The bag? In the night, the loneliness, isolation, the man following her, her asking him about bus stops, no taxis, her going into the building, the disposal unit? Trying to dispose of the foetus in the bin, the dogs? The warnings of the abortionist? Gabita wanting the foetus to be buried?

16.Her return, her fears, no key, Gabita downstairs eating, the wedding going on, the talk between the two women, the revelation of the lies, the reasons for Gabita and her behaviour, dependence on Otilia, not thinking? The decision never to talk about this again?

17.The total effect – and a perception of human nature, human beings, struggles, decisions, morality?