Experimentul Pitesti

If I have not succeeded through my articles and my direct experiences with the Romanian State reported on my blog as a free journalist and investigative sociologist in Romania to convince you that Romania is a Discreet Dictatorship and not a real democracy, surely the director of the film "The Pitesti Experiment", Victoria Baltag (My God, what a name! Reminds me of Vitoria Lipan from Baltagul; she seems like a woman destined from birth to carry the mission of bringing justice to the victims of communism even after death).

Victoria Baltag's film is recognized by the free critics in Romania as the film of the year 2023. But not by the Ministry of Culture and the Romanian State through its various cultural institutions, who refused to support the movie for the simple fact that today's politicians of the Single Party (PSD, PNL and their satellites AUR and SOS) in Romania, the children of those who caused the drama presented in the film The Pitesti Experiment, do not want to put their parents-torturers or just nomenclaturists of communism with the role of witnesses or even instigators at the time, in the embarrassing situation of having to remember the acts of cruelty described in the film.

I think this film is important for the culture of every Romanian, both of those who lived the harsh experience of communism but only later learned of its extent, just as the world learned about the horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust only after World War II, as well as of the young people who had no chance to know this dark side of Romania's recent history because today's descendants of yesterday's torturers rather wanted to hide the collective drama and trauma of this people linked to communism and communists. A drama which, as you will understand from Victoria Baltag's words, but also from my articles, is continued, even if discreetly, by the children of the communists who rule Romania today.

So I invite you to see this film which promises to be memorable and then write your honest and undisguised opinions about it on Facebook, where even in a discreet dictatorship like Romania, Freedom of Expression is still full.

Enjoy your viewing!

I find it difficult to state how I feel having seen the movie. I know it is not for the faint hearted but it is necessary, critical in our days to know the truth, the history as it happened.

It may be hard for people to relate today although, looking at the current conflict in Ukraine, authoritarianism is very present nowadays.

The fact the movie was made without a budget and still very much managed to reflect reality and provide a glimpse into what was the darkest, most cruel, dehumanising process in Romanian history (possibly not just Romanian history) is a fantastic thing in itself.

It reminds me once more that cruelty has no political or religious affiliation. It is a human being that simply lost their humanity.

The only reason for the rating is due to the gruesome representation. Not the kind of movie I'd like to see over and over.

The "Pitesti Experiment" is a film that depicts the historical, cultural, psychiatric, neurological and social time of Romania from the last century in detail. I have so much to say about the movie!

I was surprised that the film is based on typological roles. The director's choice succeeded to capture more of what happened, as Victoria's story joined those of several unfortunate victims. The movie focuses on several types of behavior, such as the typology of the martyr, the opportunist, the man with two faces, the man with a modest intellect who obeys and copies what he sees in others authoritarians, the egoist who does his job and is indifferent to what happens around him as long as he is not directly affected and the typology of the fanatic who does not accept his close ones who don't share the same beliefs. Each typology showcases much of the psychological and social reality of the respective period.

I liked that the torturer was presented, in the end, as a victim of the system and did not represent necessarily a purely negative and evil character, due to psychiatric or other imbalances, incomprehensible to the viewer. But he was just a man, with impressive cognitive abilities and a emotional power specific to people born to be leaders who, due to unfortunate situations, chose to exploit his intelligence and inner strength in a negative way (i.e. Every single man has an evil and a good part, as explained to him by his uncle, but only one emerges in his personality, as he fed his evil part more). I am also surprised by the contrast of the character who embodied the typology of the torturer: his aggressiveness with the prisoners that he was subjecting to the re-education process and his submission and docility to those bigger than him.

I liked the locations chosen for filming, essentially 100% purely Romanian. Also, Romanian authenticity and tradition were accurately portrayed through the objects used in the film, the sets, the clothing - they all have been accurate replications of the period in which the unfortunate events happened. Also, the language was built faithfully both from a phonetic point of view, because the accent has been adapted according to the geographical region in which the event occurs, or to whom the character belonged. As for the rhetorical part and the vocabulary, the directors integrated archaisms or words that are no longer found in DOOM3 - a language anchored in the reality of the last century. The characters' names were also purely Romanian and among the most common ones at that time.

The movie scenes are very real and hard to watch. Although I was familiar with them from the books, I could barely hear and see them on the screen because of the emotional impact they had on me. Unfortunately, although they may seem excessively aggressive, they reflect a reality of some young people who hae been subjects to torture without a real motive, anything to blame or benefits to anyone in any way. I admit it was easy for me to understand some moments because I knew them from books. I felt like some scenes could have been added, but the story is too broad and hard to cover in just 1 and a half - 2 hours.

Overall, this film is not a purely artistic act meant to impress with its qualities. In reality, it is an atrocious part of the Romanian's identity, a piece of history to which we, the spectators, manage to become participants. The way it is built, the types of characters, as well as the symbolism of each scene so painstakingly created do not make us mere observers of the past, but even the present, because it is possible to identify elements that still co-exist in current society. So, the film is also a form of awareness about our national identity.

"The Pitesti Experiment" is a film that gradually reproduces the darkest reality and bloody periods in our history, being based on the testimonies left in books by survivors. I greatly appreciate the director's work and thank you in the warmest and most grateful way for bringing a so important and so little known part of our history closer to us, the Romanians and to everyone.

The feature film, "The Pitesti Experiment", a history lesson full of meaning and emotion... 🏆,,Hats off!" and congratulations to director Victoria Baltag, Marius Donici (Director of Photography) and the group of young actors with a potential revelation!

🙏Pious tribute, Ion Caramitru.

👏Work done over 12 years. Zero budget. PASSION, GRACE and GIFT!

The film is of inestimable value... May destiny reward their work and bestow RECOGNITION on them!

It was emotional to watch.

I recommend you watch the film.

I would have liked the projection screen to be larger, the cinematic experience would have been more immersive.

Please set a minimum age for viewing because some scenes are very graphic and difficult to digest for young ages.

I felt that it was a film that was worked on with heart and soul for 12 years.

For me, it was one of the most important events.

And as your colleague said, I didn't see any authorities in the room, we don't know the reason.

Maybe I didn't notice them 😅 I want it to be watched by as many Romanians as possible.

I felt that you are marked by your creation and it is part of you. Please have a dialogue with the audience, get closer. I understand the desire to do justice, but it doesn't help communication if the audience is judged harshly.

I would like you to return to the same setting with a bigger screen during the tourist season. I will participate again 🙂

De la intalnirea cu Francisc Ford Copolla (in 2007)nu am mai vazut la un regizor atata pasture, rigoare in documentare,atentie la detalii, entuziasm si emotie bine controlata prin autoritatea constiintei propriei valori. Un OM si un Geniu (am proprietatea termenilor) pe care am avut sansa sa-l intalnesc la Suceava, odata cu proiectia filmului ei despre experimentul de la Pitesti care a inceput (culmea), la Suceava.

Despre cumplitul Experiment Pitesti, in care unii detinuti politici au fost asmutiti impotriva celorlalti si acestia din urma au trecut prin tortúri inimaginabile, publicul stie inca destul de putine. S-au scris carti si studii, dar n-a fost suficient. Pentru a umple acest gol, acum 12 ani, o foarte tanara regizoare, Victoria Baltag, a pornit un proiect ambitios, fara nici o finantare.

In 2015, a reusit sa realizeze un film artistic fara buget, la care a participat si regretatul mare actor Ion Caramitru, in ceea ce avea sa fie ultimul lui rol intr-un lungmetraj.

De-atunci si pana acum, regizoarea si echipa ei de voluntari au mers cu filmul intr-un turneu national, in 44 de locuri, dar a fost si invitata in Mexic, Canada si SUA. De fiecare data a prezentat intr-o expozitie si obiectele pe care a reusit sa le adune: trei tablouri realizate de detinutul Fag Negrescu dupa ce a reusit sa supravietuiasca infernului de la Pitesti, numeroase alte tablouri donate de artisti contemporani pentru ca din banii rezultati in urma vanzarii lor sa poata ajuta proiectul, lucrari de arta ale regizoarei, fotografii si obiecte de la filmari, o cerga daruita la Iasi de jurnalostul Lucian Merisca, fiul lui Constantin Merisca, fost detinut politic la Pitesti.

La sfarsit de august 2023, prima editie a turneului s-a incheiat la Bucuresti, pentru putina vreme caci al doilea turneu al anului 2023 urmeaza sa inceapa chiar in aceasta toamna si are in centrul ei obiecte ale tinerilor care au trecut prin Experimentul Pitesti.