By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
CANNES, France (AP) --Cristian Mungiu's Cannes Film Festival entry "R.M.N." is set in an unnamed mountainous Transylvanian village in Romania, but the conflicts of ethnocentricity, racism and nationalism that permeate the multi-ethnic town could take place almost anywhere.
Of all the films competing for the top Palme d'Or prize at Cannes, none may be quite as of the moment as "R.M.N." The movie, using a Romanian microcosm, captures the us-vs-them battles that have played out across Europe and beyond, wherever immigration and national identities have collided.
Mungiu, the celebrated Romanian filmmaker of the landmark 2007 abortion drama "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," has long been accustomed to his films being written off as grim portraits of a faraway Eastern Europe. It's a caricature he rejects, especially when it comes to "R.M.N."
"Whenever journalists interpret that it's yet again another somber painting of this country, well, it's not about that country — or not only about that country," Mungiu told reporters Sunday. "It's good to check your own elections in your own countries."
When a local bakery in need of workers — most of the town's men have gone abroad to find work — hires a few men from Sri Lanka, a Romanian village's already complicated mix of ethnicities — Romanian, Hungarian, German — turn increasingly volatile.
But "R.M.N.," which features a powerhouse 17-minute single shot of a contentious town meeting, from the start teases at the question of who, exactly, is an outsider and who gets to define tradition. In the end, even the village's local bears could be said to have their say.
"What is tradition? We do something because someone did this before. But why precisely do we do is this?" Mungiu said. "If you dig deep down, it's a way of fighting back the fear you have of something. It's a way of unleashing these violent impulses that you have."
"I'm sorry to say this, but we are a very, very violent species of animal. And we need very, very little to identify an enemy as other," added Mungiu. "You can see this today in the war in Ukraine."
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More