Boogie

Romania / 2008 / colour / 103 min / Romanian with English subtitles.
Directed by Radu Muntean. Cast: Dragos Bucur, Anamaria Marinca, Mimi Branescu, Adrian Vancica, Vlad Muntean, Roxana Iancu, Geanina Varga.
Director Radu Muntean’s third feature film presents a heartfelt tale of growing older but not necessarily wiser. The main character, Bogdan (or Boogie as his pals used to call him), is a hardworking thirty-something guy who has been prevailed upon to take his partner Smaranda and their child to the seaside. Smaranda is not happy in their relationship, and her discontent boils over when Boogie bumps into some old drinking buddies from when he was a single guy – and takes off with them. Hard choices and trade-offs must always be made, both for the young and the less young.
“This is a tough, shrewd, intelligent movie” (The Guardian)

This DVD includes, as a bonus, a second disc with director Radu Muntean’s second feature film, previously unreleased in the UK.

The Paper will be Blue

Romania / 2006 / 95 min / Romanian with English subtitles
The Romanian revolution of 1989 finds Costi three months away from his release from the army. The armoured vehicle unit he is part of is ordered to patrol Bucharest’s neighbourhoods. Their radio barely works and all they can tell from it is that it seems the national TV station is under attack. Costi considers it is his duty to fight against the dictatorship, and he runs to fight the ‘terrorists’ at the TV headquarters. But, before getting there, he is arrested as a terrorist himself…
‘Boogie’ is available to order from HMV.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Play.com. Prices stars at £8.99.