Somewhere in Palilula (2012)

"Somewhere in Palilula" tells the story of Serafim, a fresh graduate of a medical school, in 60's Romania. He is brought by destiny to the strange town of Palilula. Nowhere, that is. ... See full summary »

Director:

Silviu Purcarete

Writer:

Silviu Purcarete

Stars:

Anne Marie Chertic, Constantin Chiriac, Paul Chiributa

7 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Anne Marie Chertic	...	Hermafrodita
Constantin Chiriac	...	Virgil Codreanu, Trotzki
Paul Chiributa	...	Circu
Mihai Chirila	...	Assistant director
Constantin Cicort	...	Nita Leonardo
Ana Ciontea	...	Margareta
George Costea	...	Stan
Gabriel Costin	...	Bran
Pusa Darie	...	Pixi Ochi Magic
Áron Dimény	...	Doctorul Sefarim
Luminita Erga	...	Geta
Diana Fufezean	...	Separanda
Alexandru Georgescu	...	Nenea Pantelica
Constantin Ghenescu	...	Mitica Limoncelli
Doina Ghitescu	...	Bucatareasa

Storyline

"Somewhere in Palilula" tells the story of Serafim, a fresh graduate of a medical school, in 60's Romania. He is brought by destiny to the strange town of Palilula. Nowhere, that is. Palilula is a ghost town, lost in the middle of the Wallachia. A quarantine area, a sanatorium, an improbable hospital, a gynecological clinic in a settlement where no child is born. A small community of fools, lazies, sluts, vagabonds with angel's hearts is living under the sun in a sweet innocent unconsciousness. A community of Romanians who forgot their language, but not the nostalgia of their traditional music. Romanians with Danubian taste and disorientation. The young doctor Serafim will not get to practice his profession in this childless town. He will be drowning in the sweet and poisoned honey of the place, like a fly caught by a frog.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director's statement by Silviu Purcarete: "Palilula is nowhere, but everywhere. Palilula is a small island in the centre of the Vallachian plain, made of the dust of a distant planet. Over there, the physical laws of the Earth are not as rigorous as they normally are. Over there, one can never know if people lie, dream or really live. As in The Exterminating Angel (1962), one can enter Palilula, but can never leave."

User Reviews

Undeva la Palilula (Somewhere in Palilula)

It's a brilliant movie, a mixture of dark comedy and absurd theater, full of symbols and depicting a fallen universe. Somehow a Paradise in the communist inferno. Strange, with passages from dream to reality and back to dream, with antiheroes busy only to enjoy whatever can be enjoyed from life in a forgotten place of the world (forgotten by people and by history as well). It's a movie similar to a play, with good actors, fantastic images and a very strongly underlined humor. But, as for the pediatrist who comes here for few weeks and stay for life, it manages to keep the public there, during 140 minutes. It reminded me a bit of Emil Kusturitza, by its strong Balkan flavor.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Romania

Language:

Romanian

Release Date:

20 April 2012 (Romania)

Also Known As:

Gdzies w Paliluli

Filming Locations:

Romania

Box Office

Budget:

EUR1,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

C-Story Productions, Libra Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1