Inheritance

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Beyond The Hills

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COMPELLING. Mungiu's gift for acute observation remains undiminished.

— Kenneth Turan, The Los Angeles Times, Time Out Chicago

MAGNIFICENT. Mungiu explores the clash between modernity and medievalism methodically and relentlessly. NOT TO BE MISSED.

— Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times

ENGROSSING. Explores the push and pull between the collective and the individual, between faith and free will.

— Manohla Dargis, Artforum

POWERFUL

— Melissa Anderson, The Chicago Tribune

BREATHTAKING.

— Michael Phillips, The New York Times

HARROWING.

— A.O. Scott, Art Info

A KNOCKOUT.

— J. Hoberman,

Presented by Sundance Selects | Romania | Mar 8th, 2013 | 150 MINS | UR

This harrowing, visually stunning new film from director Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days), inspired by the non-fiction novels of Tatiana Niculescu Bran, unfolds in and around a remote monastery where pious young women toil dutifully under the ever-watchful eye of an austere priest known as Papa (the excellent Valeriu Andriuta). As the film opens, Alina (Cristina Flutur) arrives to visit her friend Voichita (Cosmina Stratan), one of the nuns in training. As children, the two women lived together in an orphanage where the tough, short-tempered Alina served as a protector for her more delicate friend. Now, Alina wants Voichita to leave her cloistered life and return with her to Germany, but as the fateful hour draws near, Voichita seems disinclined to go, and so Alina stays on for a while, which is when the real trouble begins. Inspired by a case of alleged demonic possession that occurred in Romania’s Moldova region in 2005, Beyond the Hills is not a supernatural thriller but rather an all too believable portrait of dogma at odds with personal liberty in a society still emerging from the shadow of Communism. For their remarkable lead performances, screen newcomers Flutur and Stratan shared the Best Actress prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Mungiu also received the Best Screenplay award.

Director

  • Cristian Mungiu

Producers

  • Cristian Mungiu
  • Mobra Films

Writers

  • Cristian Mungiu
  • Inspired by the Non-Fiction Novels of Tatiana Niculescu Bran