Beyond the Hills (2012)

The friendship between two young women who grew up in the same orphanage; one has found refuge at a convent in Romania and refuses to leave with her friend, who now lives in Germany.

Director:

Cristian Mungiu

Writers:

Cristian Mungiu (screenplay), Tatiana Niculescu-Bran (inspired by non-fiction novels of)

Stars:

Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur, Valeriu Andriutã

7 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cosmina Stratan	...	Voichita
Cristina Flutur	...	Alina Ringhis
Valeriu Andriutã	...	Priest
Dana Tapalaga	...	Mother superior
Catalina Harabagiu	...	Antonia
Gina Tandura	...	nun Iustina
Vica Agache	...	nun Elisabeta
Nora Covali	...	Nun Pahomia
Dionisie Vitcu	...	Mr. Valerica
Ionut Ghinea	...	Ionut
Liliana Mocanu	...	mother Elena
Doru Ana	...	Father Nusu
Costache Babii	...	Doctor Solovastru
Luminita Gheorghiu	...	Schoolteacher
Alina Berzunteanu	...	doctor Radu

Storyline

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...

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Plot Keywords:

convent | romania | priest | romanian new wave | female protagonist | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

Romania France Belgium

Language:

Romanian

Release Date:

26 October 2012 (Romania)

Also Known As:

Beyond the Hills

Filming Locations:

Romania

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,622, 10 March 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$109,248, 21 April 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mobra Films, Why Not Productions, Les Films du Fleuve

Technical Specs

Runtime:

152 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Romanian censorship certificate: - 15.

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Quotes

Priest: The man who leaves and the man who comes back are not the same.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Episode #10.25 (2013)

User Reviews

A great movie

It is a sad story told in a fair way. You see the two characters desperately trying to save each other, but also desperately trying to keep themselves into the "safe bubble" they created around them: Voichita's bubble is the monastery, Alina's bubble is Voichita, the only human being that ever loved her.

It is the story of two girls who grew up in an orphanage (I felt a shiver trying to imagine it) and had few choices at the moment they became adults. The movie lefts many questions open. One of them, the hardest perhaps, is how was it possible that nobody (monastery, hospital, school, foster family, police, etc.) was able to help a girl, while everybody agreed on the fact that she needed help.