Veni, Vidi, Fugi: I came, I saw, I fled

I agree strongly with the above reviews. This is a phenomenal film touching on the echoes of history, art vs. state, imagination vs. dictatorship; all within 29 minutes.

The story opens with Ovid exiled under what is now called Constanta, Romania; no longer an oppressive Roman state, but operating under the communist regime of Ceausescu in the 1980s. We learn Ovid was exiled by the Augustus Caesar and lived here, wretched and unknown, pining, until his death, to return to Rome, where he had once been its most famous poet. His mentoring of the young student has all the sweet irony of the iconic historical figure meeting the dismayed protagonist, all with a nostalgic view of what must have been a very difficult period to live through. One is reminded of Midnight in Paris, Amacord and Mean Streets all rolled up into a Balkan surprise.

We are immersed in the character's dilemma: history echoing, exile, entrapment in a Byzantine system ruled by Ceausescu's dreaded secret police, while there is the incredibly obsessive mirage of the West and the need for ingenuity in order to succeed in outwitting the brutal Romanian Government.

I would like to point out the wonderful characters that are generated and acted by first-class portrayals. The young protagonist K is played superbly displaying all the angst and drama of a young man trying to negotiate his way to manhood. Ovid, is utterly believable - played straight with no irony. One feels that the classic poet has indeed been conjured out of the past. I would love to hang with the Pig Brothers just for enough time to gain a lifetime of hilarious anecdotes. Lastly, the young women are played with true coquettish and dramatic intentions by wonderful actresses.

My only complaint is I wish it was longer. There is so much potential here. There is a subtle use of camera framing and movement that fulfills all the dramatic goals while never seeming contrived or superficial.

Bravo, Well done!!!

The seventh art or muse Clio herself came closer to the viewer to untangle both the strings of some elusive ancient stories that have still kept away the reasons why Ovid was forced to leave Rome for some cold and remote place on The Black Sea Coast and also a young romance sprung mostly from our 'K' – a high school teenager who seems to dance on the rhymes of Ars Amandi. Two separate realities emerge and are very similar for us though initially felt different for 'K' – Rome in Augustus' time could not resemble Romania in the late Communism era yet both were engaged in oppressive actions for controlling their people. Thus, beautifully combined, history and art portray a short span in the life of an adolescent who albeit poor at Latin finds help from an imaginary Ovid who tutors him to unravel the mystery of why the poet had been removed from Rome and succeeds in doing the homework being later unexpectedly commended by the teacher. This short film is humorously speckled with a three- bloke gang, an allusion to a famous concubine in the city of Constanta from the 80's and the petty slang of those days and all these are not far etching from what we remember. Again, the poet akin to the Roman gentry finds the society in this contemporary city of Tomis a clear match for the ruthlessness of the Ancient Empire. Ovid must have desperately needed a way back to Rome but found none while 'K' managed to flee away from communism and won his freedom.

The seventh art or muse Clio herself came closer to the viewer to untangle both the strings of some elusive ancient stories that have still kept away the reasons why Ovid was forced to leave Rome for some cold and remote place on The Black Sea Coast and also a young romance sprung mostly from our 'K' – a high school teenager who seems to dance on the rhymes of Ars Amandi. Two separate realities emerge and are very similar for us though initially felt different for 'K' – Rome in Augustus' time could not resemble Romania in the late Communism era yet both were engaged in oppressive actions for controlling their people. Thus, beautifully combined, history and art portray a short span in the life of an adolescent who albeit poor at Latin finds help from an imaginary Ovid who tutors him to unravel the mystery of why the poet had been removed from Rome and succeeds in doing the homework being later unexpectedly commended by the teacher. This short film is humorously speckled with a three-bloke gang, an allusion to a famous concubine in the city of Constanta from the 80's and the petty slang of those days and all these are not far etching from what we remember. Again, the poet akin to the Roman gentry finds the society in this contemporary city of Tomis a clear match for the ruthlessness of the Ancient Empire. Ovid must have desperately needed a way back to Rome but found none while 'K' managed to flee away from communism and won his freedom.

You want to watch it and then watch it again. This is the feeling that one is left with, upon watching "Veni,Vidi,Fugi".

This short film written by Timothy M. Brice and Robert Eugen Popa (as well as directed by Robert), succeeds in keeping the audience enticed from beginning to end. Mixing several layers of the story with different characters popping in and out within the parameters of a very catchy aesthetic coupled with a very elaborated narrative.

The film is infused with some sort of idiosyncratic mix of rich story, humor, mordant sarcasm and social criticism.

The elaborated mise-en-scene combined with a suggestive cinematography consistently support the plot, mood and ultimately the climax.

The script makes you really want to spend more time with the characters. A special word should be added for the nuanced role of the disenchanted Latin teacher during the dictatorship years, played by Maia Morgenstern. The spectator is equally immersed in different plot layers, parallel actions, contemporary reality and a similar story from a different historical era, which are all skillfully connected to the main plot.

This short film from Romania leaves you desiring more and one could very easily see its story becoming a feature film in the future.

There is more than a touch of magical realism in the connection of K, the 12 grade protagonist of the film, trapped in the last years of Ceausescu's "golden era" and iconic Roman poet Ovid, (the protagonist's larger than life alter ego in the film, perhaps ) exiled in the year 8AD, from Rome to the the ancient city of Tomis, on the Black sea. (current day Romania).

Despite the relentless propaganda of Caesar Octavian Augustus, that tried "to sell" to the Roman people, his 41 years reign as the "golden era" of the "Republic", Caesar era was one of brutal repression, political assassinations and intimidation.

A well thought scene that caught my attention shows one suggestive gesture of the Latin teacher that suddenly seem to be descending into an inner looking mode as she observes as bird -that we as audience, hear somewhere off camera - as she discusses about freedom (or lack off during Augustus's reign 2000 years ago and indirectly commenting on the oppression on Romania at the time of the story,in the 80's ) during the Latin class.

Ovid's is haunted by the obsession to return in secret to his beloved Rome and enlists the local support of K, charismatic and capable of improvisation, but who will have to overcame both, the fear of such a radical action and the fact he's broke, in order to outwit the Romanian Establishment.

Witty satire of the 80's Socialist regime in Romania as the film has abundant mordant irony ? Hypnotic fable? An ingenious and lyrical fantasy comedy? Probably somewhere at the intersection of these 3 genres.

"I came, I saw, I fled" is a well crafted film which I highly recommend!