The Secret of Pin-Up Island

As someone who has seen countless Romanian films in the past decade, I was pleasantly surprised by The Secret of Pin-Up Island. Don't get me wrong, I respect the Romanian New Wave for what it is, but sometimes you get tired of all the bleak, depressing stories about life's hardships. This film was like a breath of fresh air.

Thank you, SimFest, for screening this film during the festival. It doesn't feel like the typical Romanian movie - it feels global, universal. The production value alone makes you think it came out of Hollywood! The themes, though grounded in Romania, speak to everyone, no matter where you live. Mental health, trauma, self-discovery... these are international issues, and I'm so glad a Romanian director like Alecs Nastoiu took the bold step of tackling them in such a unique way.

There's this absurd, yet brilliant scene in the CEO's office (no spoilers, I promise!), and it had me laughing with a sense of irony because it's so true to life. This is a film that gives you hope while making you think, and I can't wait to see it again when it hits theaters.

As a fan of films with strong female representation, The Secret of Pin-Up Island took my breath away. Not only does it feature an all-female cast - something you rarely see - but the story itself dives deeply into exploring women, their vulnerabilities, and their inner strength. It brought to mind classics like The Women (1939) directed by George Cukor, but with a surreal twist that makes it stand out.

I had the chance to watch this incredible film at TIFF Romania, and I couldn't help but feel emotional, especially in that final scene where Alesia, played so beautifully by Rina Gri, sings with such raw emotion. I cried. The tears just came because I saw myself and so many other women I know in her. And what a joy to see not just the cast but so many women behind the camera too! It felt like a true celebration of women's voices in film, both in front of and behind the scenes.

This film has done something really important by giving women the space to tell complex, multifaceted stories. Bravo to Alecs Nastoiu and the whole team for creating something so powerful!

Saw the premiere in Romania, and almost went to sleep. Characters lack depth and you can't really care about them. The story has loop holes, no buildup whatsoever. Animations are really amateur-ish.

They basically copied the idea of video games, the secret of monkey island, but everything was poorly put into place.

The dialogue was in e dubbed English, studio edited, you could see at many times bad lip sync, and not to mention the pronunciation which had the audience not really understand what the actors were meant to say in that scene.

The only thing to be appreciated was the stunning filming location of the abandoned film factory in targu mures romania.

Loved, loved that movie! I watched it during the Boston Sci-Film Festival and was pleasantly surprised by this creation of Romanian cinematography. It is very unusual but at the same time comforting and heartwarming story. In how it was made, it really reminded me of computer games that I played when I was a kid. While watching this movie you want to join the main character, Alesia, on her adventure. It was so exciting to explore all the rooms and to meet all the unique characters with her.

Closer to the halfway point of the movie, the viewer understands that the idea is much deeper than it appeared in the beginning. Through Alesia's journey it will make you think about your own feelings, your own life, your own past, and may even help you to resolve some of your own issues by the end of the film.

In addition, as a woman, I loved that almost all the characters are female. Their costumes and hair are so stylish as well! I could see a lot from 60s fashion, but with futuristic notes. The contrast between the bright yellow outfits and the grey interiors of the factory building was amazing! You can tell this was created by real artists.

A beautiful warm feeling filled my heart when I finished watching. It is an interesting sweet fairytale filled with mystery.

Give this movie one of your evenings. You will enjoy every moment of it!

The main character captured the woman's situation in a deeply abstracted manner and connected to the technological reality that surrounds her and tends to become the status quo.

There are many symbols and subtexts that make you repeat the narrative thread multiple times, discovering new layers each time and after this way of thinking you find, especially as a woman, multiple similari times with the common, everyday situations you face and learn to accept and overcome them, as well as to internalize them in a conscious and healthy way.

It is totally different from the native Romanian media landscape, it feels like a breath of fresh air and i highly recommend it.