Alexandru Solomon’s exceptionally made documentary film, presented in numerous international film festivals – including the Romanian Film Festival in London, as well as on BBC4’s Storyville programme, is now available to download or watch online from Doc Alliance Films.

The Great Communist Robbery

directed by Alexandru Solomon
Documentary / Romania / 75 mins / black & white and colour/ Romanian with English subtitles

One quiet morning in 1959, the Romanian National Bank was robbed, like in the American movies. It was an exceptional event, in a Communist country, where there was only one bank, money wasn’t worth a lot and it was nearly impossible to run abroad.
After less than 2 months, six people were arrested and charged with the robbery. All of them high-ranking members of the nomenklatura, all of them Jews. After the investigation, the defendants were asked to play their own parts in a reconstruction film, directed by the secret police. This 1960 film, entitled ‘Reconstruction’, shows less than it hides. After nearly 50 years, many questions are left open. Searching for answers, the ‘Great Communist Bank Robbery’ tries to restore the truth of an era plunged into lies and manipulation.
See docalliancefilms.com/film/7211/ for options. Prices are: EUR 1.5 for wmv streaming, EUR 3 for avi download, EUR 5 for DVD quality download.