Balaur

The slow pace, deliberate classicism, and thematics of this debut film would easily serve as arguments for shipping it off as "another one of those East European dramas" that have been practically mass-produced in recent years. This would be to overlook the fact that Chelaru's feature film unmasks the patriarchal workings with astonishing maturity, often at the turn of a shot or a dialogue.

Passed under all the major radars, this story about the perilous relationship between a Religion teacher married to an Orthodox priest and one of her underage students certainly does not have the subversive charge of a Radu Jude, but can boast of a beautiful suspense where we can guess the influence of Michael Haneke.

Well, a very complicated film by its message, its feelings, by what the characters think and do. Especially since I have always considered that in a relationship, and in an adultery, there are always two parties who are wrong, who cross certain thresholds and limits. Not only one of the parties is guilty, and when it comes to adultery there are actually several parties involved and even... guilty.

So we have: a rather honest and reclusive priest; a wife who is both the priest's wife and a religion teacher at a high school, quite knowledgeable and willing to discuss not only Orthodox morality, but also life issues; a very free high school student, because he comes from a school in Germany, who at the same time asks questions, but is also eager to change the order of things.

Until love or desire intervenes in this triangle. Or immaturity. So, "When does freedom become dangerous? When it gives birth to inner monsters?" And at the age of immaturity, any reaction is dangerous, because it is, first of all, ...immature. A very complicated film, as I said, to see and discuss.

The fear of infidelity is the theme of Balaur (2021), based on a real from Piatra Neamt, where a religion teacher, wife of a priest, was involved in a public scandal after a relationship with one of her students. Because Transilvania Film Festival offers this extraordinary opportunity to meet the makers of a film immediately after the screening, Balaur (2021) seemed to me an even more impressive directorial debut listening to the way Octav Chelaru argued his cinematic choices and seeing the unity of his team of actors including Alexandru Papadopol, Sergiu Smerea and Mãlina Manovici, protagonists who, I have no doubt, will receive some awards for this interpretation. Liana Alexandru.

A film that makes you think of French cinema. Alexandru Papadopol was well chosen for the role of the priest. His physique and the level of his performance help the character a lot. I never liked this actor and I don't like priests in general, so for me this role is a very pleasant and unexpected surprise. Alexandru Papadopol plays his part well until the end, being very credible. Mãlina Manovici is a sensual, expressive actress who conveys a lot, knowing how to hide a girl full of carnal desires under an angelic face. There would be a lot to say about the subject matter of the film, but that's another topic. In conclusion, a well-made film, along with Neidentificat (2020).

Tonight I saw Octav Chelaru's debut feature film, which is based on (or rather is inspired by) a real love story with a tragic ending, which happened some years ago, between a priest's wife and a high school student. The story ended with the suicide of the young man.

I won't narrate the movie here, just a few highlights.

The film has all the characteristics of the low-budget Romanian film, which relies a lot on the psychological mindset of the characters, in order to impress the audience! With all the good and the bad that derives from here!

The film has a good flow, it is not preaching anything and it's quite honest, not forcing the viewer towards limited interpretations.

I still don't know what to say about how believable the characters are presented. Maybe because of my familiarity with the setting, maybe because of the exceptionality of the story.

Dialogues are, most often, natural; sometimes slightly touched by hysteria, as in all Romanian films. Or maybe it's just my feeling...

All in all, it is not an anti-clerical film at all! On the contrary! Beyond some awkwardness, the church, the priesthood, the priest's family are approached very respectfully!

It's a film about wounded and unfulfilled eros, maybe also about a confused past of a woman, maybe incapable of happiness, maybe forced to live a life that didn't make her happy!

But more than that, I think it's about the devastating effect that migration and the lack of family love has on children and teenagers!

The conclusion drawn by me, let's call it "moral conclusion", is that man without love is nothing and tends towards self-destruction. The lack of love places the soul in an entropic desire, which, at best, destroys destinies, and at worst, puts the equal sign between life and death!

I say it's a movie worth seeing!