Home > Film Reviews > Beyond the Hills from writer/director Cristian Mungiu | Wild Bunch

Beyond the Hills from writer/director Cristian Mungiu | Wild Bunch

October 4, 2012 Leave a comment Go to comments

Film maker and auteur Cristian Mungiu is perhaps the best thing to ever come out of Romania. Not only does he teach us the plethora of problems in his country, he manages to universally relate them with the rest of the world. Beyond the Hills is none other than a brilliant display of a cerebral and photographic study regarding present faith on Earth. Specifically, the faith found in an isolated Orthodox convent in the harsh present-day winter of Romania.

In Beyond The Hills, we are brought into the lives of two orphans now in their mid-20′s, Voichita and Alina. Voichita has found commune in rural Romania, with a group of nuns and their priest,  whom they call “Papa.” Alina has come from their orphanage to convince Voichita, her loving friend, to reunite and leave this seemingly cult of an Orthodox country church. The love and friendship between the two girls is captured in every shot, with every look and gesture made let alone the dialogues between them. This friendship, the bond they formed since childhood, is portrayed to the audience the moment the film begins. From the opening sequence to the final shot of the film, there is an electricity present through the intensive yet unobtrusive framing of the camera on these nuns and their “master,” the priest.

Photography by Oleg Mutu

Beyond the Hills by Cristian Mungiu won Best Screenplay this year at Cannes 2012 with the additional praise towards two Best Actress awards for Cosmina Stratan (Voichita) and Cristina Flutur (Alina). This is the type of film that should be shown in film schools, a real learning experience for all parts of the cinematic spectrum.

By Pouya G. Asadi.

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