"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." The early festival trailer has unveiled the latest cinematic endeavor from the acclaimed, eccentric, and provocative Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude, titled 'Kontinental '25. Set to make its debut tomorrow at the prestigious 2025 Berlin Film Festival (aka Berlinale) within the Main Competition section, this film promises to captivate audiences. The poster, displayed below, pays homage to the original poster for 'Europe '51' (aka 'Europa '51'), directed by Roberto Rossellini and starring Ingrid Bergman, infusing it with a contemporary twist.
Described as a "perverted reinterpretation" of Rossellini's 'Europe '51', which centered on a wealthy woman's obsession with humanitarianism following her son's suicide, 'Kontinental '25' stars Eszter Tompa as Orsolya, a bailiff in Cluj, the heart of Transylvania. Orsolya finds herself entangled in a moral dilemma when she is tasked with evicting a homeless man residing in the basement of a building. An unforeseen incident propels her into a whirlwind of guilt that she strives to navigate.
The stellar cast also includes Gabriel Spahiu, Adonis Tanța, and Șerban Pavlu. Although the brief trailer offers limited footage, it is sufficient to pique the interest of avid cinephiles eagerly anticipating this new offering from Radu Jude. It follows his critically acclaimed 'Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World' from last year.
According to Berlinale, "In Cluj, Transylvania, after evicting a homeless man from his shelter in a house cellar, the man commits suicide. Orsolya, the bailiff who enforced the eviction, is compelled to grapple with her guilt through various means. Through a blend of drama and comedy, this movie-savvy narrative dissects diverse topics such as the housing crisis, post-socialist economics, nationalism, and the power of language in maintaining social status with a sharp, absurdist edge. It pays homage to 'Europa '51', particularly in the modest means of this independent, low-budget production. However, while Rossellini's film saw a woman's crisis of conscience leading to meaningful action, here, the protagonist struggles to find understanding and becomes increasingly desperate for external reassurance and validation. Orsolya's moral relativism uncomfortably mirrors a modern-day malaise from which few of us are immune."
Written and directed by the celebrated Romanian indie filmmaker Radu Jude, whose credits include 'The Happiest Girl in the World', 'A Film for Friends', 'Everybody in Our Family', 'Aferim!', 'Scarred Hearts', 'I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians', 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn', and 'Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World', among numerous other short films and unique documentaries, 'Kontinental '25' is produced by Alex Teodorescu and Rodrigo Teixeira.
Premiering in the Main Competition at the 2025 Berlin Film Festival this month, the film is expected to make rounds at various film festivals throughout the year. A final US release date has not been set yet, so stay tuned. First impressions? Does it look promising?
