Feature film/Romania/2006/89 min/colour/English subtitles
Written and Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu
Starring Ion Sapdaru, Mircea Andreescu, Teodor Corban

In selected cinemas nationwide starting 17 August 2007!
Opening on 17 August and showing until 13 September at
Renoir cinema, Brunswick Centre, London, WC1N 1AW; Box office 0870 850 6927; www.curzoncinemas.com

Also opening on 17 August at
Watershed cinema, 1 Canon’s Road, Harbourside, Bristol BS1 5TX; Box office 0117 927 5100; www.watershed.co.uk

Starting with 7 September in Glasgow, 14 September Belfast and Sheffield, 21 September Manchester and Cardiff, 28 September Nottingham.
For a full list of dates, please go to www.artificial-eye.com/bucharest/where.php.

Reviews:

The Times

“One of the best of the new wave of Romanian cinema, 12:08 East Of Bucharest is a droll delight.” (Wendy Ide)
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Time Out London

“This is black comedy with a subtle political edge.” (Dave Calhoun)
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Evening Standard

“12.08 East from Bucharest is funny and eccentric.” (Derek Malcom)
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Synopsis

The whole country watched live on television as angry crowds forced Romanian dictator Ceausescu to flee Bucharest by helicopter. In a quiet town east of the capital, sixteen years since this historic day, the owner of the local TV station invites two guests to share their moments of revolutionary glory. One is an old retiree and sometime Santa Claus, the other a history teacher who has just devoted his entire salary to his drinking debts.

Together they will remember the day when they stormed their town hall calling ‘down with Ceausescu’. But phone-in viewers dispute the claims of the heroes, who may have been boozing in the bar or making Christmas preparations rather than rebelling in the streets.

Corneliu Porumboiu

Born in 1975 in Romania, graduated in 2003 at the Bucharest University of Drama and Film. His short films LIVIUS’ DREAM (2003), GONE WITH THE WINE (2002) and A TRIP TO THE CITY (2003) won him several international awards, including a Prix de la Cinéfondation in Cannes 2004.
After being resident of Cinéfondation, he directed his first feature, 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST, in 2005, which premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight 2006, and subsequently won the Camera d’Or.

Corneliu Porumboiu’s short films ‘Liviu’s Dream’ and ‘Trip to the City’ were presented in London within the 3rd edition of the Romanian Film Festival in London, February 2006. ‘12.08 East of Bucharest was premiered in the UK within the London Film Festival of October-November 2006. The film also opened, courtesy of Artificial Eye, the 4th edition of the Romanian Film Festival in London, on 26 April 2007.

What the critics said

• ‘This Cannes Camera d’Or winning gem… an absurdly comic farce in the best East
  European tradition…’ – Sarah Lutton, LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
• ‘Absurdly comic farce’ – THE TIMES
• ‘An impressive, deadpan debut… the director wrings humour and pathos out of nearly every shot’ – Jason Solomons, THE OBSERVER
• ‘Acutely funny…’ – A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES

You can see more details about the film and read an interview with the director, Corneliu Porumboiu, at www.artificial-eye.com/bucharest/main.html

An Artificial Eye release