Exchange
Schimb valutar
Director Nicolae Margineanu
Romania 2008 / 98 mins
Cast
Cosmin Selesi, Aliona Munteanu, Andi Vasluianu, Rodica Ionescu, Valentin Uritescu
Saturday 2 May 2009
8.45 pm
Having lost his job at the factory along with many others, Emil’s adrenalin is boiling. He sells the few belongings he and his family have left and goes to Bucharest in order to prepare their emigration to Australia, where the sky is blue and work is plentiful.
But together with his job he has also lost his luck, and he finds himself on the streets of Bucharest with nowhere to go. Bank notes travel from thief to thug, and soon Emil’s morale is as low as his adrenalin was high.
The tragedy caused by this circle of events begs for comparison with Robert Bresson’s L’Argent, which in turn was inspired by Tolstoy’s short story The Forged Coupon. Exchange is a tale of civilian misfortune in the light of major political transitions.
Director Nicolae Margineanu could be called a veteran director, having made films since 1978, and his latest stands out as one of his best achievements yet.
See also www.filmul-schimbvalutar.ro (Romanian only)
