Reviews

Great historical ode about Romanian people and other ethnicities that could have been found in early 19th century Romania. Aferim! explores some essential questions and subjects about life, religion and relationships between human beings, with the consciousness and mind typical for the man of that time. Also, there were a lot of films this year with great cinematography but Aferim! takes my vote in that department. I think the best yet simplest description for this film would be "Romanian Andrei Rublev". Another jewel in European filmography but before all enormously important film for Romania, from cultural and historical aspects.

It is impossible to summarise all excellence behind Voctoria's easiness to portrait 5 European youngsters who are gathered during the one night in Berlin. For that achievement I will give full credit to it's director Sebastian Schipper. It is extremely rare to see, or it would be better to say, impossible to see any difference between real life persons and characters in Victoria. On the top of that everything is beautifully complimented by unreal performances of Victoria's cast. Throughout most of the film I was wondering where in the world did Schipper found these incredible actors and is it really that easy to draw such a performance from them. Furthermore film is shoot in one tracking shoot for which Sturla Brandth Grøvlen was rightfully awarded with Silver Berlin Bear. This is one of that rare situations where film is so good that it is approaching dreadful close to reality, with it's every dialog, with every conduct of the actors, with every next occurrence.