Un été inoubliable

I am a Romanian and I never heard of this movie before. I was amazed to see Kristin Scott Thomas speaking Romanian so well and staring in the movie of a Romanian director like Pintilie. The subject was dramatic, but full of heart. It was about human goodness, which from a contemporary perspective is very obvious, but I suppose that at the beginning of the 20th century was seen rather differently. All in all, the movie was good; it kept me hooked for its full length. And bravo for Kristin Scott Thomas, Claudiu Bleont, and Lucian Pintilie. I'm really happy to see Romanian post-communist movies without a script about various transition-related issues.

Ete packs a great deal of moral and ethical examination into its 82 minutes. The language bounces around between French, English, Romanian and some Bulgarian and I think this adds to its charm. Beautifully acted by both Kristin Scott Thomas and Claudiu Bleont. Lucian Pintilie is a brilliant director and screenwriter -- he deserves more exposure than he gets. Very strong film!

Those who have seen films by Lucian Pintilie, one of the greatest directors in the history of Romanian cinema, would find it easy to detect his unflinching sympathy for the underdogs. Beginning with "Reconstitution" (1968) until "Niki and Flo"(2003),all his films are about brave people who are able to wriggle out of tough problems solely through their tenacity. One of Lucian Pintilie's more internationally acclaimed films, "An Unforgettable Summer" draws viewers' attention towards the ignominious persecution of ordinary, innocent Bulgarian workers by some bad elements of Romanian army. Its wickedness is shown solely from the point of view of a person whose parents' lives were shattered beyond recognition during a turbulent summer when a group of mean Romanian army personnel punished everybody who was not on their side. One should not be shocked to see that some Romanian army officers were depicted not only as philanderers but also as enemies of humanity. It is amidst such a morass that an honest army officer and his wife emerge victorious as they are able to overcome their ethical dilemma by choosing the path to justness. Although "An Unforgettable Summer" is not a philosophical film per se, Lucian Pintilie's film does succeed in highlighting the message that one man's "arbitrary logic" might lead another man to be despondent to such an extent to even contemplate suicide.

Most of the action unfolds in a remote, dry, semi-deserted place, a romanian military outpost at the border with Bulgaria. Out of this world, comes Kristin Scott Thomas, a summer breeze, lively, hopeful, and somewhat unexpectedly devoted to her husband. She does not hesitate to follow him to his post, in the middle of nowhere. She could live happily anywhere. Her good faith and kindness are unusual in that land. Indeed an unforgettable summer for those who met her, and for the viewers too. But sad, often outrageous things happen in that region. Orders must be carried out, innocent prisoners must shot. Things that no one can stop, or change. Not even a bright and genuinely hopeful character as that of Kristin Scott Thomas. She ends up drinking, we are told...And all is the same, and will probably stay the same. A lost hope...A defeat. A pessimistic movie for those who come from there. Though well made, with very good, solid performances, it is unlikely that this movie will be of much interest to non-romanian audiences. Kristin Scott Thomas: a super intelligent actress, under-rated by far.

The director manages to pack a lot of local color and drama into a spare 82 minutes. The costumes and scenery are gorgeous, and the acting is superb. And the story itself is both poignant and uplifting. A romantic drama in the Ayn Rand tradition.