DIRECTOR: Emanuel Pârvu
STARRING: Ciprian Chiujdea, Bogdan Dumitrache, Laura Vasiliu
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 45 minutes
LANGUAGE: Romanian
Adi is spending the summer in his home village in Danube Delta. One night he is brutally attacked on the street. The next day his world is turned upside down. His parents no longer look at him as they did, and the seeming tranquility of the village starts to crack.
***
An accomplished actor, and now making his third feature behind the camera, director Emmanuel Pârvu's latest film is Three Kilometres to the End of the World. Starring Bogdan Dumitrache, Laura Vasiliu, and Ciprian Chiujdea, the film made its worldwide debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was the winner of the Queer Palm.
Romania's Centrul Național al Cinematografiei announced the film as their selection on September 2nd.
The film was produced by A FAMart Presentation with Miruna Berescu as the producer. Goodfellas has world sales of the film.
Three Kilometres to the End of the World is a drama, where it was shot in the Danube Delta, around the Sfantu Gheorghe branch and the Dunavat canal, near Tulcea, Romania.
To check out all previous submissions for Romania, click HERE.
STARRING: Ciprian Chiujdea, Bogdan Dumitrache, Laura Vasiliu
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 45 minutes
LANGUAGE: Romanian
Adi is spending the summer in his home village in Danube Delta. One night he is brutally attacked on the street. The next day his world is turned upside down. His parents no longer look at him as they did, and the seeming tranquility of the village starts to crack.
***
An accomplished actor, and now making his third feature behind the camera, director Emmanuel Pârvu's latest film is Three Kilometres to the End of the World. Starring Bogdan Dumitrache, Laura Vasiliu, and Ciprian Chiujdea, the film made its worldwide debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was the winner of the Queer Palm.
Romania's Centrul Național al Cinematografiei announced the film as their selection on September 2nd.
The film was produced by A FAMart Presentation with Miruna Berescu as the producer. Goodfellas has world sales of the film.
Three Kilometres to the End of the World is a drama, where it was shot in the Danube Delta, around the Sfantu Gheorghe branch and the Dunavat canal, near Tulcea, Romania.
To check out all previous submissions for Romania, click HERE.
FILM REVIEW:
(This review contains spoilers.)
“You’re afraid of what the world will say? The world is not my family.”
Three Kilometres to the End of the World is a harrowing exploration of repression and denial in a remote Romanian village, masterfully directed by Emanuel Pârvu. The film delves deep into a tense environment where a closeted gay teen, Adi, struggles against societal and familial expectations.
The film begins with two men, a local 17-year-old, and a visiting tourist from Bucharest. Their tender interaction sets a tone of intimacy and connection that is soon shattered by violence. When Adi returns home, his face and body are severely bruised with swelling after a brutal attack. He decides to be silent about the details of the assault. His father, a fisherman burdened by debt to the local gangster Zentov, and his deeply religious mother, both believe that the attack is a warning related to their financial troubles. They have no idea that their son is gay.
Adi is eventually forced into coming out to his parents, as the investigation progresses, which adds another layer of trauma for him. This moment is not only deeply personal but also symbolic of the larger societal rejection faced by LGBTQ individuals in such conservative environments. The parents’ response, ranging from shock to denial, highlights the conflict between personal affection and entrenched norms.
Pârvu’s film masterfully depicts the intersection of suffering and systemic prejudice. By highlighting the absurdities and cruelties inherent in the community's response to Adi’s sexuality, Three Kilometres to the End of the World underscores the deeply entrenched biases that drive both overt violence and insidious forms of social control. The film’s unflinching portrayal of these issues, combined with its darkly satirical tone, creates a powerful commentary on the nature of intolerance and the struggle for personal identity in the face of oppressive laws.
What lies beyond those three kilometres is not just the culmination of a physical journey but also the end of a significant chapter in Adi’s life. He feels trapped and isolated in his rural village, which is the edge of his world and freedom. His only option is to move into an uncertain future. Adi's journey and the profound challenges he faces in removing himself from a life that doesn’t accept him, into a new world of acceptance and possibilities is just about to start. It might feel like the end of the world, leaving behind everything he once knew, but a whole brand new world awaits him.
REVIEW: B+
(This review contains spoilers.)
“You’re afraid of what the world will say? The world is not my family.”
Three Kilometres to the End of the World is a harrowing exploration of repression and denial in a remote Romanian village, masterfully directed by Emanuel Pârvu. The film delves deep into a tense environment where a closeted gay teen, Adi, struggles against societal and familial expectations.
The film begins with two men, a local 17-year-old, and a visiting tourist from Bucharest. Their tender interaction sets a tone of intimacy and connection that is soon shattered by violence. When Adi returns home, his face and body are severely bruised with swelling after a brutal attack. He decides to be silent about the details of the assault. His father, a fisherman burdened by debt to the local gangster Zentov, and his deeply religious mother, both believe that the attack is a warning related to their financial troubles. They have no idea that their son is gay.
Adi is eventually forced into coming out to his parents, as the investigation progresses, which adds another layer of trauma for him. This moment is not only deeply personal but also symbolic of the larger societal rejection faced by LGBTQ individuals in such conservative environments. The parents’ response, ranging from shock to denial, highlights the conflict between personal affection and entrenched norms.
Pârvu’s film masterfully depicts the intersection of suffering and systemic prejudice. By highlighting the absurdities and cruelties inherent in the community's response to Adi’s sexuality, Three Kilometres to the End of the World underscores the deeply entrenched biases that drive both overt violence and insidious forms of social control. The film’s unflinching portrayal of these issues, combined with its darkly satirical tone, creates a powerful commentary on the nature of intolerance and the struggle for personal identity in the face of oppressive laws.
What lies beyond those three kilometres is not just the culmination of a physical journey but also the end of a significant chapter in Adi’s life. He feels trapped and isolated in his rural village, which is the edge of his world and freedom. His only option is to move into an uncertain future. Adi's journey and the profound challenges he faces in removing himself from a life that doesn’t accept him, into a new world of acceptance and possibilities is just about to start. It might feel like the end of the world, leaving behind everything he once knew, but a whole brand new world awaits him.
REVIEW: B+
