Lucian Pintilie
Director, Screenwriter, ProducerRomania
Birth : 9 November 1933 (Tarutino, Bessarabia - now Ukraine)
Death : 16 May 2018
Career : 53 years
Age : 84 years
Lucian Pintilie was born in 1933 in Bessarabia, then a province of Greater Romania. He studied at the Institute of Cinematographic and Theatre Arts in Bucharest and spent his entire life working between stage and screen.
Between 1956 and 1965, he filmed reports for television and simultaneously produced classical and contemporary plays. He tried his hand at cinema in 1965 with “Sunday at Six“, in which he revisited his country’s fascist past. He continued his satirical style against the communist dictatorship with “Reconstruction” in 1968 and Carnival Scenes in 1981, both of which were censored.
He then went into exile in France and performed in the greatest Parisian theaters. Pintilie gave free rein to his devastating humor upon his return to Romania after Ceausescu’s death, with “The Oak“. His subsequent films continually engage in what he calls a “dialogue with Evil.”
His film “Niki and Flo” was presented during the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
PRESENCES AT THE JURY
Biography
Lucian Pintilie was born on November 9, 1933, in Tarutino, Bessarabia, a region then part of Romania, now part of Ukraine. After studying at the Institute of Cinematographic and Theatre Arts in Bucharest, he began a prolific career in theater, directing both classical and contemporary plays. In 1965, he directed his first feature film, “Sunday at Six“, which explored the anti-fascist resistance in Romania.
His second film, “Reconstruction” (1968), a satire of the communist judicial system, was quickly censored, marking the beginning of a series of confrontations with the authorities. Forced into exile, Pintilie settled in France, where he continued to work in theater and opera, notably at the Théâtre National de Chaillot.
He returned to cinema with “Paviljon VI” (1978), adapted from Chekhov’s novel, shot in Yugoslavia, and then “Why Are the Bells Ringing, Mitica?” (1981), again censored in Romania. It was only after the fall of the Ceaușescu regime that he was able to fully express his artistic vision, directing landmark films such as “The Oak” (1992), “An Unforgettable Summer” (1994) and ” Last Stop Paradise” (1998), the latter winning the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Pintilie is known for his incisive style, blending brutal realism and satire, exploring the traumas of Romanian society. He died on May 16, 2018, in Bucharest, leaving behind an influential body of work that paved the way for the revival of Romanian cinema.
Photos
Filmography
🎬 Movies
- 2006 – Tertium non datur
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : Short film exploring moral dilemmas in a post-totalitarian society. - 2003 – Niki and Flo
Rôle : Director
Synopsis : A family drama depicting tensions between generations in contemporary Romania. - 2001 – The Afternoon of a Torturer
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : A former torturer of the communist regime confesses his crimes to a young journalist. - 1998 – Last Stop Paradise
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : A tragic love story between a waitress and a young soldier, set against the backdrop of a changing society. - 1996 – Too Late
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : A prosecutor investigates suspicious deaths in a mine, revealing corruption in the system. - 1994 – An Unforgettable Summer
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : A woman is sent with her family to a remote region, facing military brutality. - 1992 – The Oak
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : A teacher travels through post-communist Romania, meeting various symbolic figures. - 1981 – Why Are the Bells Ringing, Mitica?
Rôle : Director
Synopsis : A satire of the communist regime, centered on preparations for a local carnival. - 1978 – Paviljon VI
Rôle : Director
Synopsis : Adaptation of Chekhov’s short story, exploring madness and bureaucracy. - 1968 – Reconstruction
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : Two young people are forced to reenact a fight for a propaganda film, with tragic consequences. - 1965 – Sunday at Six
Rôle : Director, Screenwriter
Synopsis : A love story between two resistance fighters during World War II.
FILMS AT THE FESTIVAL
Awards
Reviews
“What is the survival strategy of a community in a state of perpetual disaster? And when does joking stop being an impenetrable shield?”
Lucian Pintilie – MUBI
For additions/changes of information, please contact steven.decarvalho@evropafilmakt.com