Director: Cristian Mungiu
Year Released: 2012
Rating: 3.5
Two orphans, Voichita (Cosmina Stratan) and Alina (Cristina Flutur), become 'disconnected' when Voichita runs off to a nunnery and denies her feelings for her by devoting herself to worshiping God; Alina does not accept this with ease (to say the least) and goes insane chasing after Voichita, much to the consternation of the other nuns and head priest (Valeriu Andriuta). Mungiu essentially takes what could be a sensationalistic story about young lesbian nuns and makes one of the most austere (and disturbing) movies released this year (based on a true story no less!) about self-denial (Voichita sublimating her desire), the failure of religion to properly address modern issues and change with the times (how many sins are in that book of theirs?) and, on a more basic level, how rejection and love-sickness can take its toll on a young woman's mental life. In many ways, this movie is a spiritual cousin/curious parallel to Kechiche's Blue Is the Warmest Color (minus the strap-on sex and finger-banging) about problems with lesbian relationships - Mungiu's more aligned with the style of Tarr and maybe even Dumont.
