Saw this movie today at the Arras International Film Festival. I first have to say that I think myself as fortunate to have been able to understand the dialog in the original language. When I went to see the movie, I didn't really now what to expect, I only briefly read bits and pieces from the synopsis.
In my opinion the movie is a good portrayal of current Romanian society. Maybe people living in urbanized areas of the country are not fully aware of what is still happening in other areas, maybe poorer, maybe less exposed to western influences and at the same time much more conservative in terms of religion and customs. I think that the movie also gives a pretty good glimpse of what lack of proper education could lead to, it also touches somewhat the problem of orphanages in Romania and lack of continuity in care-taking of those youngsters who reach adulthood and cannot reside in the aforementioned institutions anymore but have to find a way to live their lives without any help whatsoever. There are more levels to this movie than just the unfortunate outcome of lesbianism in modern Romanian society. This movie is definitely not for those who blindly allow themselves to be brainwashed by the Church.
The mentality of the common people, of the mere citizen who is driven into lying and cheating in order to survive in a world that doesn't wait for those who cannot keep up with it is accurately portrayed in this movie. So in terms of portrayal, Beyond the hills is quite realistic, the characters are realistic, credible. The imagery and the setting greatly contribute to being able to see this world as if we were participants to the events. There is a great variety of shooting angles and techniques which are adapted to the situations in which they are used. Also great use of silence.
In conclusion, if you want a glimpse of what the issues of modern Romanian society represent, especially in the rural world, then this is definitely a movie to watch. It portrays it well and it tries to see it from more than just one point of view, which gives it credibility.
In my opinion the movie is a good portrayal of current Romanian society. Maybe people living in urbanized areas of the country are not fully aware of what is still happening in other areas, maybe poorer, maybe less exposed to western influences and at the same time much more conservative in terms of religion and customs. I think that the movie also gives a pretty good glimpse of what lack of proper education could lead to, it also touches somewhat the problem of orphanages in Romania and lack of continuity in care-taking of those youngsters who reach adulthood and cannot reside in the aforementioned institutions anymore but have to find a way to live their lives without any help whatsoever. There are more levels to this movie than just the unfortunate outcome of lesbianism in modern Romanian society. This movie is definitely not for those who blindly allow themselves to be brainwashed by the Church.
The mentality of the common people, of the mere citizen who is driven into lying and cheating in order to survive in a world that doesn't wait for those who cannot keep up with it is accurately portrayed in this movie. So in terms of portrayal, Beyond the hills is quite realistic, the characters are realistic, credible. The imagery and the setting greatly contribute to being able to see this world as if we were participants to the events. There is a great variety of shooting angles and techniques which are adapted to the situations in which they are used. Also great use of silence.
In conclusion, if you want a glimpse of what the issues of modern Romanian society represent, especially in the rural world, then this is definitely a movie to watch. It portrays it well and it tries to see it from more than just one point of view, which gives it credibility.