主播大秀

Romania's former communist dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, fled Bucharest by helicopter on 22 December 1989. In 12:08 East of Bucharest, director Corneliu Poromboiu paints a portrait of small town Romania 16 years after that revolution. Old man Piscosi (Mircea Andreescu) and school teacher Manescu (Ion Sapdaru) appear on a local television station to debate how the revolution played out in Vaslui; soon the town is divided over the truth. This is a funny, gentle film that understands the wearying nature of political upheaval.

Poromboiu - 14 when the Romanian revolution occurred - grew up in small town Romania, and it shows: this movie is an affectionate and sly take on life in Romania's suburban backwaters. Manescu is a local teacher who spends all his money on drink. Piscosi, now retired, used to play Santa Claus at Vaslui's Christmas parties. When the men are called by TV presenter Jderescu (Teo Corban) to participate in a televised debate, titled "Was There a Revolution in our Town?" - Vaslui's townspeople call the show to dispute their claims to be revolutionary heroes. Finally, everything hinges on one question: was Manescu really in the town square on 22 December 1989?

"LEAVENED BY A GENTLE SENSE OF THE ABSURD"

12:08 took the Camera D'or for best first film at Cannes in 2006, and it's easy to see why. We get three strong performances from the central actors - Corban excels as the bullying, insecure Jderescu - and a tightly constructed narrative that conjures great interest from small, anecdotal events. Crucially, it's all held together by Porumboiu's wonderful lightness of touch; politics, here, is leavened by a gentle sense of the absurdity of small-town life, and even some great one liners. An unexpected gem.

12:08 East of Bucharest is out in the UK on 17th Aug 2007.