Poveste de cartier (2008)

Returned home after a year of Army, Vio surprisingly discovers that his friends and the neighborhood changed fundamentally. The area is now controlled by Da Vinci, a drug dealer who got ... See full summary »

Directors:

Theodor Halacu-Nicon, Alan Smithe

Writers:

Raisa Ambros (story and screenplay), Denis Dinulescu

Stars:

Sorinel Copilul de Aur, Monica Merisan, Florin Calinescu

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sorinel Copilul de Aur	...	Vio
Monica Merisan	...	Ramona
Florin Calinescu	...	Davinci
Octavian Strunila	...	Calu
Augustin Viziru	...	Nic
Romica Tociu	...	Italianu
Cornel Palade	...	Vrajitoru
Adriana Nicolae	...	Paula
Madalina Ghitescu	...	Avocata
Andreea Doinea	...	Marcela
Nicodim Ungureanu	...	Agentu
Radu Rupita	...	Pustiu
Catalin Mancafa	...	Mitu
Virgil Constantin	...	Titi Doinas
Suler Cornelia Dana	...	Functionara gara

Storyline

Returned home after a year of Army, Vio surprisingly discovers that his friends and the neighborhood changed fundamentally. The area is now controlled by Da Vinci, a drug dealer who got Vio's father house because he bet on it. As for his friends, beatings with the rival gang have become a way of life. Nevertheless, Vio is happy: he met the love of his life, Ramona, and between them grows a love story and they will do anything for that love, including him fighting with Da Vinci, who wants to forcibly marry Ramona. Luckily, Da Vinci isnt a reason for Vio and Ramona to stop fulfilling the dream of love but makes you understand that not even in death those two can not be separated.

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Genres:

Drama | Musical

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Details

Country:

Romania

Language:

Romanian

Release Date:

9 May 2008 (Romania)

Filming Locations:

Romania

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,508

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eurofilm Art, Eurofilm

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

User Reviews

Anti-cinema

To better understand the phenomenon of "District Story", one should first be aware what the "manele" are and represent. Well, following the disastrous years of communism, with the regime's policy to transform all the nation into a herd of brutish beasts, the marginal districts of the cities became overpopulated by a huge load of social disinherited - illiterate, uneducated, primitive, with criminal tendencies; inherently, many of them were gypsies. This numerous peripheral population fatally nurtured its own subculture, and one of its main landmarks are the "manele" - songs that still keep a weak heritage of the gypsy traditions, but denatured and vulgarized. The tunes are linear, rhythmic and monotonous, but with very violent accents, mainly in the refrains; the lyrics are very simplistic and crude, phrased with a total lack of grammar, to the point of dyslexia. Here is a symptomatic example:

"Come on, lady, to my flat / To make sex the way I want / And I trash you over so, / Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-owww!"

The predilect subjects of the manele are: love, sex, money (or lack thereof), my enemies, my dad's teachings (well... THEIR, not "mine", of course!). Unfortunately, they became so widely spread, that one can hear them, deafeningly loud, in all Romanian slums - and, alas, also in environments that should be more civilized...

So, this is the world this "movie" depicts - with an involved and loving eye. It purports to assert the delusional values of these lowest levels of society. In fact, it's too much said "movie" - it lacks too many professional and artistic elements to be qualified as such. Literally, it's a CINEMATOGRAPHED MANEA, awkwardly directed, freakishly amateurish acted, with a messy editing and a repulsive soundtrack. The only good parts are, paradoxically, the original script (which, unfortunately, was mutilated to the point of not being recognizable anymore), and the cinematography, which shoots in a professional and stylish way the sordid realities of the story. It's really a pity that these few professionals sold so cheaply their name, to credit this piece of cinematographic imposture. I dedicate to them my despising compassion.