Cast:

Irina Petrescu, Dan Nutu, Gratiela Albini, Eugenia Bosanceanu

Synopsis:

A love story between Anca and Radu in Romania in 1940, during WWII, at the height of fascism. Both of them, without the other knowing it, are involved in clandestine activities to overthrow the government. This renders the relationship between the two lovers all the more complex and desperate. This is Pintilie's debut film and it immediately garnered him important recognition from critics and international festivals alike. The director films the characters' dismay using flashbacks that lead to a notable lack of distinction between past and present. Love seems to be a refuge, but the war devours everything, insinuating itself into the fates of all individuals.

“… For the first time, part of the audience was obviously protesting. And at the same time the other part was applauding. It is the most vivid dialogue I've ever stirred up. The saddest thing is that after the film was awarded prizes at various international film festivals, some viewers, which we like to call ‘experts' were over flattering my work.” (Lucian Pintilie)

“Even in ‘Sunday at Six' from Romanian filmmaker Pintilie, temporality was not linear, but for once this break is not gratuitous. The film, which was not liked by cine-phobes or Godard disciples, is tender and moving. There are no ambiguities: the heroes are young and sympathetic and we are drawn to them, without asking too many questions, because they hate fascism.” (Axel De Brooke, ‘A Locarno', in Positif, no. 80, December 1966, pg 77)

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