Filantropica

This movie was highly appreciated, I belive, because of its mere content, meaning that the director Nae Caranfil puts all its talent into it and struggles to evince that Romania is a very complex and intricate country, full of contrasts and paradoxes. Caranfil is eager to make the public appreciate its creation and that can be seen several times throughout the film. iTs satisfaction is all that counts. In Filantropica, he blends comedy in drama in the very specific and contondent way which Romaniands behold as "laugh of worries and trouble". That's why this is an excellent movie. The social and psychological satire couldn't be more obviously conveyed than it is by the main character, a superficial teacher, who drggs his dull life day by day neither with a purpose, nor with a glimpse of satisfaction. But what has satisfaction become nowadays ? Does satisfaction mean money? Must you be ignorant and most of all corrupt to be happy? Under this superficial layer lies the multitude of social convictions and the chaos of a society that struggles to keep, and moreso to gain its real and unhypocrite identity, under a constant flow of foreign However the prospects are grim. Being a satirical comedy, "Filantropica" tries to put in mind of the beholders one question? Have we become so anonyme and unimportant individually that we haven't even realized it and are we constantly manipulated by social cercles beyond our reach and knowledge? We'll never know, will we? All that we can do is "laugh at our own incapacities and faults" of middle or lower class people that we are, as the great Chaplin said. So go and watch Filantropica. I became pretty damp after seeing it, realizing how useless people, specially in the ex-Comunist countries can be. But in order to reach that point of view you must first know the words of a great philosopher: Andre Malraux: "What is the human life? Nothing! But nothing worths more than a human life!". Is this the idea conveyed in "Filantropica"? You will have to judge, so go and see it and then try to answer the previous questions. Although not a great movie, it is very good and maybe it will put a differnt view of Romania to all you westerners(I don't say this disdainfully)who know it only by extreme poverty and degradation. See the film and you will understand a small, but important part of my country 8/10

Director Nae Caranfil wasn't short of Romanian anecdotes and stories before the screening of his fourth feature film when I saw it at the Palm Springs International Film Festival: Q: What's the difference between a Romania pessimist and optimist; A: "The pessimist says, 'Things couldn't possibly get worse;' the optimist says 'Oh yes they can.'" And when those attending revealed their knowledge of his native country was confined to the birthplace of Dracula, we were assured, with a knowing grin, that the film to follow would be "a dark, hopeless, miserable comedy." Well, three out of four isn't bad!

Using stray dogs as metaphorical bookends the film purports to send up greed, education, governments and a host of social ills using charitable scamming as its glue. Unfortunately, in today's climate of real stories of charities making front page news through scandal or mismanagement the plot's major joke (fake married couple on the 10th anniversary in expensive restaurant, have no cash, big scene with on-the-take-waiter, do-gooder patrons pay off the inflated bill) seems more of a documentary than fiction, thus killing the satire.

But the hero as failed writer provides a much better vehicle for black humour that sets up the funniest moments: the railway poet who recites for vodka, only to reveal that he has just two poems and neither of them are his; and wonderfully believable Philanthropy Foundation where writing the lines the for percentage-based fund-beggars on the cash-only payroll brings in a steady flow of charitable donations. Their motto is bang on: "An outstretched hand with no story to tell doesn't work."

And so its savvy chairman (Gheorghe Dinica) writes the scripts that include a violinist (who's never played a note but has been coached on how to hold the instrument) that has given up playing in his despair (best to beg near government culture institutions) and climaxes with the beating literature teacher by day Ovidu (played with charming naivety by Florin Calinescu) which leads to a television appearance where a special account is set up for the public to contribute to this unfortunate couple whose only crime was to try and have one night out for their anniversary. Even the sub-plot of the literature teacher trying to seduce one of his most belligerent student's sister is filled with false fronts shallowness. But, it forces him to agree to the scamming so as to have the cash to artificially improve his lifestyle and attempt to bed her when, inevitably, his deception is revealed just on the point on entry. But like the too-forgiving Philip in Of Human Bondage Ovidu keeps going back for more, finally stealing from the foundation to pay the debts of his wayward student only to discover he's given the dough to the sister that wasn't (quelle suprise!). Oh well, at least he gets to keep the girl he's been fictitiously married to for the past decade, forever proving that lies can be lived into reality!

Still, the film does provoke thought and is blessed with a knowing camera and a gypsy-esque score composed and performed by Marius Mihalache that adds much to the pace.

But at our screening when the film broke-just fifteen minutes from the end-there were not a few of us who could have left then and there with enough of the story resolved to our satisfaction. However, being charitable, we dutifully stayed until the last ask was made.

I had the exquisite privilege to see the film's premiere and since then I've been to see it five more times. It is the best Romanian film ever made. From the script writing (plot) to acting, costumes, camera movements, editing, everything has so high a quality it acquires international value. The disadvantage of it being so Romanian may diminish a lot of its humor for foreign viewers, but there is something universal about humor that makes the bittersweet truth reach the humanity of each member of the audience rather than their nationality. It is a sour sweet satire of the contemporary Romanian society and underworld of which fiction one begins to doubt as credits start rolling.

This is for those who don't know how the director looks like: Nae Caranfil has a cameo as a Karaoke singer. Does the foreign audience applaud when there is a good scene or when the director appears in a cameo, like they did here?

What else? The Romanian film critics had designated "Filantropica" as representative for our country in Best Foreign Picture pre-nominations for the Academy Awards. Unfortunately, they didn't know much about publicity and didn't even come up with all the necessary data for the sites & all, but this does not diminish the film's value and the excuse may be that the event was a first time ever.

Is Filantropica the best Romanian movie? Some may say yes, other may have been less impressed by Caranfil's satire. But no matter how you look at it, you have to agree that Filantropica has something that many Romanian movies lack. It's got a story, a pulse, a damn heart beat. What that means? I suppose it means it's got some likable protagonists as well as debatable villains and its satire goes beyond the social layer and reaches the human one. That's what makes Filantropica so cool: its not just a film that's got something to say, it's a film that's got something to show off with. Finally, a Romanian movie with an earth-bound story, less chat and a bit more of "this and that"!

Filantropica is a film about the fate of a professor who falls in love with a rather "sophisticated" lady, who just costs too much. But because love knows no limits, our professor is prepared to do anything in order to fulfill his yearning. And, as all know, the easiest way to conquer a shallow heart is by being a financially affluent person. Most unfortunately, the professor isn't in such a position and he searches desperately for a solution. The solution, as unexpected as it may be, is, of course, business related. A bit unconventional, maybe. That is, if you consider "organized" begging an unconventional business.

OK, so it's fun and it criticizes some very disturbing facts of the lower social classes and, in the meantime, it details the rather dark career of a beggar. Yeah, I know, I never thought someone could make money out of beginning through such an organized and well planed scheme, but it seems it pays off. Now the sad thing is, it's mostly true and it's impossible to control in the current conditions (moral ambiguity). But in Filantropica, it is - and this is of great relevance - another matter of life. It's part of something bigger and more important, it follows an ideal, morally shabby, but conceptually good. The context (aka the story, the characters) make it real. And that's what good films are (sometimes) about.

This is amazing. A true masterpiece. It is definetely the best romanian movie ever made. A great comedy about richness, poorness, love. Very well written, some scenes will make you laugh with tears, great one liners. And also what can i say about the director, Nae Caranfil? Perfect. It sometimes reminds me of Guy Ritchie. All in all, an amazing movie. If you have the chance to see it, all over the world, do it, it's awesome.