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Title: Beyond the Hills (2012)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Cosmina Stratan | ... | Voichita | |
| Cristina Flutur | ... | Alina Ringhis | |
| Valeriu Andriuta | ... | Priest (as Valeriu Andriutã) | |
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Dana Tapalaga | ... | Mother superior |
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Catalina Harabagiu | ... | Antonia |
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Gina Tandura | ... | nun Iustina |
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Vica Agache | ... | nun Elisabeta |
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Nora Covali | ... | Nun Pahomia |
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Dionisie Vitcu | ... | Mr. Valerica |
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Ionut Ghinea | ... | Ionut |
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Liliana Mocanu | ... | mother Elena |
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Doru Ana | ... | Father Nusu |
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Costache Babii | ... | Doctor Solovastru |
| Luminita Gheorghiu | ... | Schoolteacher | |
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Alina Berzunteanu | ... | doctor Radu |
Alina and Voichita have been friends since their orphanage days. And they have been lovers since they became sexually mature. But despite their oath of mutual fidelity, Alina, who could not bear poverty any more, emigrated to Germany where she became a barmaid. Now she just could not take the estrangement from Voichita and today she is back to Romania with a view to taking Voichita along with her to Germany. The only trouble is that in the meantime her girlfriend has betrayed her in falling in love with... God! Voichita indeed now lives in a convent where she plans to make vows. The priest agrees, if somewhat reluctantly, to accommodate Alina before their (hypothetical) departure. He sees all too well that not only is the young woman materialistic but hostile and troublesome as well... Written by Guy Bellinger
A grim and intense story about love, faith, the presence of God and the absence of God, slowly penetrates the viewer's mind, so slowly that it takes Director and Screenplayer Cristian Mungiu more than two hours to make a convincing case for redemption. No doubt that he has a skilled team, to include Oleg Mutu (cinematography). This is not a horror movie; what is horrifying is the knowledge that it is based on a real story of a 2005 Christian Orthodox exorcism gone wrong, somewhere beyond the hills of Moldavia (a region in Eastern Romania). The scariest aspect is that it can happen to you, no need for a monastery or any kind of mental illness. All it takes is to express disdain against a highly controlled environment, the kind of environment that requires continuously patching the stove such that no smoke comes out to spoil the harmony of a strict yet loving family. The movie builds upon the viewer's expectancy that what can go wrong it will, and, with a remarkable lack of explicit violence, creates a gripping parallel reality where all imaginary roads are paved with good, harmful intentions. Both the priest and the doctor want to help, each in his system of reference. The police are interested in helping too, to the best of their ability. In the end, it's hard to blame or hate anybody for the strange turn of events. Even the priest (Valeriu Andriuta) draws some sympathy for his apparent lack of options. But hey, there is a bright side to this bleak work of art, not a masterpiece but still an outstanding work of art: the thin line between desire and rejection drawn by Cosmina Stratan (Voichita) and Cristina Flutur (Alina). Patched with moments of fragile silence and delicate whispers, their relationship evolves into one of the most tender and frightening love stories. Now, who harbors the Devil is still up for debate