Film: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
Director: Cristian Mungiu
Country: Romania
Released: May 2007
Runtime: 113 minutes
Genre: Drama
Studio: Mobra Films
Influenced: Corneliu Porumboiu, Todd Haynes, Adina Pintilie, Maren Ade, Lucrecia Martel
Set in the latter stages of Romania's oppressive communist regime under Nicolae Ceaușescu, 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days originated from a real-life anecdote that director Cristian Mungiu heard from a friend. Mungiu was looking to make a film that would reflect the realities of life for his generation who grew up during this period, when abortion was illegal. The film's screenplay was written by Mungiu and co-writer Octav Chelaru, who began to research the topic and explore the experiences of women who had undergone illegal abortions under Ceaușescu's rule. The filmmakers had to work under tight budgets and navigate the complexities of filming in a country that was still relatively closed off to the world, and also had to carefully select the locations and costumes to ensure that the film captured the authenticity of the era. Little details like the flickering light in the hotel corridor, as well as the way cigarettes, soap and sweets are sold on the black market, help capture a sense of the period.
The plot plunges us into the lives of two university students, Otilia (Anamaria Marinca) and Gabita (Laura Vasiliu), as they embark on a desperate quest for an illegal abortion. Gabita, several months into an unwanted pregnancy, seeks Otilia's help to navigate the labyrinthine network of back alleys, shady characters and moral compromises required to fulfil their desperate wish. The narrative unfolds over the course of 24 hours, capturing the tension, fear and moral dilemmas faced by the two young women. They must rely on the dubious services of Mr Bebe (Vlad Ivanov), a corrupt and sleazy doctor who specialises in performing clandestine abortions. Mungiu is unflinching in his portrayal of the grim realities of illegal abortions. The doctor advises not flushing the foetus down the toilet, or burying it, as dogs might dig it up. Instead he says they should take it to a high rise block of flats and send it down the rubbish chute. The procedure itself is portrayed with stark realism, highlighting the brutality and desperation of women seeking to control their own bodies in a society that denies them that right.
Mungiu shot the film in Bucharest and other Romanian locations over a period of three months, but the key hotel negotiation sequence is composed of just a few takes. The abortion scene itself was filmed in a single take, lasting over 12 minutes. Mungiu employs an innovative long, static camera shot from Gabita’s perspective after the procedure. In this scene, we see Otilia and Gabita's friendship tested to the limits, as Otilia feels her loyalty has been betrayed by Gabita's desperate lies and naive approach to the whole situation. Despite its minimalist approach, the film is deeply emotional, exploring themes of friendship, loyalty, class and the struggle for survival in a repressive society. Immediately after Otilia's harrowing experience, we see her sitting stone faced at a lively and happy birthday meal organised by her boyfriend's family, and it's incredible to see how she keeps a brave face while harbouring such a dark secret, and while also being subject to sneering about her humble social background. The film culminates in a tense and suspenseful climax, as Otilia and Gabita attempt to escape the clutches of the authorities and the consequences of their clandestine actions.
4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days received widespread critical acclaim for its direction, performances and its uncompromising portrayal of a sensitive subject, including winning the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, bringing international acclaim to Romanian cinema. The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and won the European Film Award for Best Film, among other accolades. Not only does the movie expertly capture the historical context of Romania in the 1980s under late Communism, when the government sought to control population growth, it also packs a powerful emotional punch, as we see the two young women navigate the complexities of their society and their own moral compasses. Anamaria Marinca's performance is particularly praiseworthy, and she has gone on to have a successful career in TV & film, while Mungiu's reputation as a director has continued to grow, picking up further awards at Cannes for Beyond The Hills (2012) and Graduation (2016), while also helping to produce Maren Ade's incredible 2019 comedy, Toni Erdmann.
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