A fost sau n-a fost?, (12:08 East of Bucharest) (2006)

96% of critics liked it
(45 reviews)
69% of users liked it
(4,832 ratings)

Gil-Scott Heron once wrote "the revolution will not be televised," but one Romanian newsman attempts to put his nation's revolution on the air after the fact in this satiric comedy from writer and director Corneliu Porumboiu. It's the sixteenth anniversary of the revolt that removed Communist… More Gil-Scott Heron once wrote "the revolution will not be televised," but one Romanian newsman attempts to put his nation's revolution on the air after the fact in this satiric comedy from writer and director Corneliu Porumboiu. It's the sixteenth anniversary of the revolt that removed Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu from power in Romania, and Jderescu (Ion Sapdaru) is the host of a televised public affairs show who wants to do a special program on the revolution. Jderescu's idea is to bring on a handful of ordinary citizens to discuss their role in Ceausescu's overthrow and how their lives have changed since Communist rule was swept from Romania. However, Jderescu can only round up two guests for his broadcast -- elderly Piscoci (Mircea Andreescu), who's more interested in playing Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids than talking politics, and Manescu (Teo Corban), a schoolteacher nursing a brutal hangover. As Jderescu tries to lead a serious discussion of how Romania has changed since Ceausescu was driven from power, the conversation wanders off on a tangent about where the revolution actually took place, and the waters become even more muddied when Jderescu opens up the phone lines for questions from viewers, most of whom have their own distinct (and strongly conflicting) memories of the Revolution . . . and one of which has a bone to pick with Manescu over some drunken insults he hurled the night before. A Fost Sau n-a Fost? (aka 12:08 East of Bucharest) received its North American premier at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Corneliu Porumboiu
Written By: Corneliu Porumboiu
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 6, 2007 Wide
On DVD: Oct 9, 2007
Studio: Artroumain

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Dry comedies from eastern Europe tend to cast a skeptical eye on anything and everything, which is certainly the case with Corneliu Porumboiu's debut feature.
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press
12:08 East of Bucharest is easier to admire than enjoy, funnier to describe than actually watch.
Leba Hertz, San Francisco Chronicle
12:08 East of Bucharest cleverly takes on the aftermath of the December 1989 revolution in Romania that resulted in the overthrow of Nicolae Ceaucescu. It's a movie that seems simple, yet its subtle and brilliant complexity is not to be denied.
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Live television going down in flames is always good for a laugh.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
[It] builds a sly and unexpected human comedy out of a dispute over whether a revolution would still be a revolution if nobody showed up.
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
It's a dark little ride, but at the end the lights hesitantly flicker back on.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
Al final termina siendo una mirada agridulce, sin nostalgia, sobre unos acontecimientos históricos quizá todavía recientes.
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
A wryly funny, surreal take on an epochal event . . . reminds us that revolutions aren't always grand, ideal affairs to be nostalgic about, but can involve the mundane and the trivial, moments argued or regretted.
Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer
The movie provokes low-key laughs (yes, it's a comedy), but with a sad overtone.
Martha Fischer, Cinematical
Dryly funny throughout its first half, the film truly comes to life in its final 45 minutes.
Toddy Burton, Austin Chronicle
While 12:08 East of Bucharest could take more than one viewing to truly appreciate, it's worth the commitment.
Noel Murray, AV Club
Porumboiu starts off making a mordant slice of life, but he gradually entwines the personal and the historical, then ends on a poignant note. The story and situation are slight, but in the best possible way.
David Fear, Time Out New York
Porumboiu's satire about history and short memories is a modest, deadpan masterpiece.
Stuart Klawans, Nation
You will laugh till the streetlights blink on again in the damp Romanian twilight.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
Porumboiu's minimalist approach concentrates the movie's focus on its mournful characters, so disillusioned with their post-Communist life they question the history that led to it.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The self-indulgent 12:08 East of Bucharest certainly takes its time getting to the point. In fact, the first third of this film could have been trimmed without much damage. And this Romanian comedy-drama is only an hour and a half in length.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The film leaves off on a perfect note of hopeful melancholy.
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit
Human, savvy, funny, well observed; kudos to director Porumboiu for making something from nothing
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
Extremely clever filmmaking--sharp and very funny, but also challenging and packed with relevance.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
The only problem with the new Romanian cinema seems to be titles few can easily remember - but some eccentricity is permissible when the films are so good.

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Luke B

Romanian films are certainly where it's at. The past 5 years have thrown up simple yet engaging works unmatched by the majority of the world. They have the ability to comment on Romanian society, with a sense of dark humour and without being too preachy. 12:08 East from Bucharest… More
Romanian films are certainly where it's at. The past 5 years have thrown up simple yet engaging works unmatched by the majority of the world. They have the ability to comment on Romanian society, with a sense of dark humour and without being too preachy. 12:08 East from Bucharest tells of a small town and whether or not it had anything to do with the 1989 revolution. The film sets up it's three protagonists and the world they live in. It manages to use the small town setting to it's advantage as we get a lot of back-story through the townsfolk recollections of each other. Over half the film is a TV broadcast, making it almost static, given humourous life by an incompetent cameraman and his less than adequate tripods. Luckily the dialogue, bickering and mystery is enough to keep the audience fully entertained. It's amazing how brilliantly scripted dialogue can be more enthralling than car chases, explosions and slapstick. The cinematography is also beautiful, with an exceptional silent climax as the streetlights come alive at dusk.
Michael S

One of the funniest films of 2007.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"12:08 East of Bucharest" has two things in common with other Romanian movies I have seen in the last couple of years:[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]1. The favoring of long, static takes.(To highlight this, there is a running… More
[font=Century Gothic]"12:08 East of Bucharest" has two things in common with other Romanian movies I have seen in the last couple of years:[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]1. The favoring of long, static takes.(To highlight this, there is a running joke about handheld cameras.)[/font] [font=Century Gothic]2. The movie takes place in a single day.(What is up with this, by the way?)[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]This day is December 22, 2005, the 16th anniversary of the end of Communist rule in Romania. To commemorate this, Virgil Jderescu(Teodor Corban), a former textile engineer, is hosting a special program at his television station on the events of that day in the town he lives in. As guests, he has Tiberiu Manescu(Ion Sapdaru), an alcoholic university professor, and Emanoil Piscoci(Mircea Andreescu) who has just been drafted into being the neighborhood Santa Claus again.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"12:08 East of Bucharest" is a deadpan comic movie that is about a television show that lies somewhere between bad public access television and Monty Python. On the serious side, the movie is also a meditation on the role of history in everyday lives. The world in general may change but life goes on. And it is clear that nothing much has improved for these characters in the past sixteen years. [/font]
William G

Too deadpan for its own good. Feels long even under 90 minutes.

Cast

            Mircea Andreescu as Emanoil Piscoci

            Teo Corban as Virgil Jderescu

            Ion Sapdaru as Tiberiu Manescu

            Mirela Cioaba as Mrs Manescu

            Luminita Gheorghiu as Mrs Jderescu

            Cristina Ciofu as Vali

            Lucian Iftime as Lica

            Annemarie Chertic as Vera

            Petrica Sapdaru as Petric

            Catalin Paraschiv as Barman

            George Guoquinyun as Chen

            Constantin Dita as Tibi

            Daniel Badale as Professor

            Marius Rogojinschi as Neighbour

            Aurelia Tocu as Voice of Vasile Rebegea

            Ion Ciolacu as Voice of Ion Castachescu

            Lucian Pinzaru as Voice of Costica Bejan

            Corneliu Negrea as Voice of Gelu Isarescu

            Coca Bloos as Voice of Tina

            Marian Catalin Avasiloae as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Marian Ciprian Birzoi as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Alexandru Cântea as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            George Robert Cristea as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Tudor Danaila as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Andrei Danaila as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Victor Alexandru Diaconu as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Silviu Costel Dula as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Sergiu Leonte as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Daniel Popa as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Iulian Suru as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Remus Vatamanu as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Andra Roxana Talmaciu as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Romeo Talmaciu as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Carmen Lenuta Trufia as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Mihai Basescu as Member of Grupul Rotaria

            Andrei Bejinariu as Extra

            Mihai Chipcia as Extra

            Carmen Elena Dorobat as Extra

            Paul Filipescu as Extra

            Roxana Finaru as Extra

            Dumitru Madalin Geantau as Extra

            Andrada Ghiciuc as Extra

            Andrei Jigolea as Extra

            Constantin Jigolea as Extra

            Bogdan Leonard Mindru as Extra

            Razvan Mera as Extra

            Geanina Petruca as Extra

            Camelia Alexandra Tamas as Extra

            Valentina Luca as Extra

            Proumboiu Viorica as Extra

            Tocu Aurelia as Extra

            Costin Volin as Extra

            Alexandru Mita as Extra

            Ursu Marcela as Extra

            Burlac Dan as Extra

            Catalin Croitoru as Extra

            Mihai Coritoru as Extra

            Daniel Haba as Extra

            Ciprian Damian as Extra

            Grigoriu Eugen as Extra

            Mihai Basecu as Extra

            Mihai Apetroaie as Extra

            Costel Craciun as Extra

            Constantin Gutuman as Extra

            Costica Moldoveanu as Extra

            Saftica Vitala as Extra

            Alexandru Boicu as Extra

            Catalin Buchinici as Extra

            Andrei Grigore as Extra

            Mahmote Andrei Cristian as Extra

            Catalin Petronela Chetran as Extra

            Paul George Chetran as Extra

            Alexandra Ionela Chetran as Extra
See full cast