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Philanthropique

Original title: Filantropica
  • 2002
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
14K
YOUR RATING
Mircea Diaconu in Philanthropique (2002)
Ovidiu, a high-school teacher looking for an extra buck, finds an unexpected way to earn easy money.
Play trailer1:05
1 Video
5 Photos
SatireComedyDrama

Ovidiu, a high-school teacher looking for an extra buck, finds an unexpected way to earn easy money.Ovidiu, a high-school teacher looking for an extra buck, finds an unexpected way to earn easy money.Ovidiu, a high-school teacher looking for an extra buck, finds an unexpected way to earn easy money.

  • Director
    • Nae Caranfil
  • Writer
    • Nae Caranfil
  • Stars
    • Mircea Diaconu
    • Gheorghe Dinica
    • Mara Nicolescu
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    14K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Nae Caranfil
    • Writer
      • Nae Caranfil
    • Stars
      • Mircea Diaconu
      • Gheorghe Dinica
      • Mara Nicolescu
    • 33User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:05
    Trailer

    Photos4

    View Poster
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    Top cast18

    Edit
    Mircea Diaconu
    Mircea Diaconu
    • Ovidiu Gorea
    Gheorghe Dinica
    Gheorghe Dinica
    • Pavel Puiut
    Mara Nicolescu
    • Miruna
    Viorica Voda
    • Diana Dobrovicescu
    Marius Florea Vizante
    Marius Florea Vizante
    • Simpaticul
    Florin Zamfirescu
    • Poetul Garii de Nord
    Cristian Gheorghe
    • Robert Dobrovicescu
    Florin Calinescu
    • Self
    Constantin Draganescu
    • Tatal
    Monica Ghiuta
    • Mama
    Ovidiu Niculescu
    Ovidiu Niculescu
    • Ospatarul
    Valentin Popescu
    Valentin Popescu
    • Recuperator #1
    Nae Caranfil
    Nae Caranfil
    • Karaoke singer
    Gabriela Bobes
    Marius Capota
    • Baiat de Baiat
    George Lungoci
    • Reporter
    Marius Rizea
    Anamaria Marinca
    Anamaria Marinca
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Nae Caranfil
    • Writer
      • Nae Caranfil
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews33

    8.414.3K
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    Featured reviews

    10halftildead

    Spechless

    By saying this is the best Romanian movie I don't really say much about it, because there aren't any good Romanian movies, really (with few exceptions). But I can tell you that this is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and I have seen many. Not only it makes you laugh, but it makes you think. A little bit like American Beauty. The story is well put together and the acting quite impressive - gives you a strong real life impression. A school teacher needs money so he can be around the sister of one of his trouble-making students. His book (just released on the market) didn't have any buyers, so he need other funding sources. You'll see what and how. Overall, a movie not to miss.
    10Mickey Knox

    the best romanian movie ever

    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.
    8Didier-Becu

    FILANTROPICA (DIDIER BECU)

    Are you laughing or are you crying? I dunno and this realistic view on today's life in some east European country (Romania) makes you aware that the power is in hands of those who are related to the mob. "Filantropica" tells the story of an ordinary man, a schoolteacher who writes some books in his free time (without success). He earns enough to keep himself alive but from the moment he wants something out of line (sympathy for a gorgeous looking girl) he has just one route : following the route of crime. "Filantropica" shows perfect how the mob is involved in everything, from televisionshows till the beggar on the street and it might be a very hard movie, it's a brilliant masterpiece of today's society. Absolute must!
    10spiritualwolf

    Close to perfect...

    ...and an excellent commentary on the state of society not only in Romania but in the rest of the world. There are some references, small, almost hidden, to the World Bank and the EU, that help you to see the parallels between what's happening to the protagonist on a personal level and what's happening to Romania on a national level.

    I've spent a lot of time in Romania over the last few years, and have wanted to tell people I know here in the UK about what it's really like over there - Filantropica gives me a chance to make what I say come to life. The portrayal of the rich, useless 'students', in particular, was so close to reality I just couldn't stop laughing.

    ....and the dogs at the beginning and the end are just, well, perfect!
    8dromasca

    black comedy about the 'transition' period

    In Romania they call it the 'transition' period. Whoever invented this term meant to describe the period between Communist Romania and a normal society, a period where people can recover dignity, learn speaking the truth and trust their human fellows. The issue is that in Romania, as in all other former Communist countries this period was marked by a great amount of dis-illusions, by many broken dreams and destinies as the recovery proved not to be easy neither on the economic not on human plans. The place of human relations was taken by tricks and robbery, the emptiness of the Communist slogans was replaced by the emptiness of the commercial TV, surviving as a human being is tough.

    'Filantropica' presents a point of view which may be unknown or hard to catch for many non-Romanian viewers. The Romanian literature and theater has a great satiric tradition, and the founder of absurd comedy theater Eugene Ionesco was of Romanian origin. This is where the villain characters in 'Filantropica' like the one of the master combinator played by Gheorghe DInica come from, although the figure of the little professor of literature dreaming to overcome his miserable condition (through money? through love?) played by Mircea Diaconu is as universal as a Benigni or Woody Allen would have created it.

    Some comments consider 'Filantropica' as the best film of the Romanian cinema. I believe that this is an exaggeration, there are certain flaws especially the extended and un-justified use of off-screen voice in the first part of the movie. 'Moartea Domnului Lazarescu' of Cristi Puiu, another movie inspired by the reality of the same period is a better film, with somehow a more optimistic message. Yet this is an important film about this complex period in the history of Romania.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Nae Caranfil, the director, does a cameo in most of his films. In Filantropica he appears in the Karaoke scene.
    • Quotes

      Robert Dobrovicescu: Hey teach, I heard some talk about booting me out. What's up?

      Ovidiu Gorea: You must've done something.

      Robert Dobrovicescu: But you stick up for me! You're my buddy, right?

      Ovidiu Gorea: What can I do, if you keep looking for trouble?

      Robert Dobrovicescu: Let me spell it out for you. If they boot me out and you're on their side, you won't be my buddy anymore. Then I come see you... and slice you like salami. Fair? Sounds fair to me.

      Ovidiu Gorea: I'll think about it.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Closer to the Moon (2014)

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    FAQ

    • How long is Philanthropy?
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 5, 2002 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Romania
      • France
    • Language
      • Romanian
    • Also known as
      • Philanthropy
    • Filming locations
      • Liceul Miguel de Cervantes, Bucharest, Romania(school)
    • Production companies
      • Domino Film
      • MACT Productions
      • Media Pro Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,795
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Mircea Diaconu in Philanthropique (2002)
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