FREEDOM
Tudor Giurgiu
Libra Films, Mythberg Films (RO, HU), fiction
December '89. A bloody confrontation between Army Forces and Ceausescu’s Militia and Securitate, the secret police, leads to many killings, chaos, panic and confusion. But who are the real terrorists?
December 22nd, 1989. City of Sibiu, in Transylvania. People had started to demonstrate against Ceaușescu’s communist regime. VIOREL is a Militia officer who ends up as a prisoner, caught in the chaotic fight between the Army, Militia, Securitate, secret police, and civilians. Beaten, threatened, he is accused as being a terrorist and spends several weeks locked inside an empty pool belonging to the Army, together with other 400 prisoners.
TUDOR GIURGIU / IMDB
Member of the European Film Academy, TUDOR GIURGIU is the founder and President of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF), the most prestigious film-related event in Romania. His directorial debut feature LOVE SICK was selected in Panorama section of 2006 Berlinale and awarded in several int'l festivals). His short SUPERMAN, SPIDERMAN OR BATMAN (2011) won Best European Short at the 2012 edition of European Film Academy Awards. Tudor's 2nd feature, OF SNAILS AND MEN, was awarded in Warsaw IFF and Valladolid IFF. WHY ME?, an unsettling legal thriller based on a real case of corruption in present-day Romania, premiered in 2015 Berlinale Panorama. His most recent film is PARKING, a Romanian-Spanish-Czech co-production. Tudor produced or co-produced many feature films such as SERVANTS by Ivan Ostrochovsky (Berlinale 2020), KATALIN VARGA by Peter Strickland (Silver Bear in 2009 Berlinale), MISSION OF THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER by Eran Riklis (Audience Award in Locarno 2010).
Director’s statement:
The so-called “1989 Revolution” is the biggest incompletely consumed event that our society has been through in recent history. Truth was willingly disguised, whitewashing was cultivated to become state of art. The public TV convinced the population that “terrorists” really existed and had become the absolute enemy. But actually the army shot at innocent civilians and served as the principal force of repression against the demonstrators. Ordinary people are central figures of my film; VIOREL is an officer who wasn’t involved in any capacity in the violent repression of the street demonstrations, even though he was working for Militia. But he kills acting in self- defense, is accused as being terrorist and experiences major moral dilemmas. It will be essential to capture the raw reality of those day, when all actors involved were confused and acting in chaos. Camerawork should remind us of the documentary footage from the époque. Another close reference would be BLOODY SUNDAY by Paul Greengrass.
Where are we at?
Total Budget: 1.400.000,00 EUR
Financing in place: 1.325.000,00 EUR
Territories unavailable: Romania, Hungary
Looking for at CineLink?
Completing the budget, sales agent, festivals
Production company profile
LIBRA FILM is an independent film/TV production company founded by Oana and Tudor Giurgiu. Between 2000-2022 Libra produced more than 45 films, with a focus on international co-productions. Main titles: THE GREAT COMMUNIST BANK ROBBERY (2004), by Alexandru Solomon, co-produced with Les Films D’Ici (France), KATALIN VARGA (2009), by Peter Strickland, Silver Bear winner (2009) and European Discovery of the Year at the EFA Awards, Cannibal by Manuel Cuenca (minority co-production), premiered in Toronto 2013, THE JAPANESE DOG, by Tudor Cristian Jurgiu, world premiere in San Sebastian IFF 2013, Why me?, by Tudor Giurgiu (Berlinale Panorama title in 2015), MOROMETE FAMILY: ON THE EDGE OF TIME by Stere Gulea, local box-office hit in 2018. Libra produced the 2012 Best European Short Film, SUPERMAN, SPIDERMAN OR BATMAN, by Tudor Giurgiu, awarded at EFA Awards and many international festivals worldwide (Aspen, Munich, Valladolid). Recently, Libra was the minority producer for the Turkish project BETWEEN TWO DAWNS by Selman Nacar, winner of WIP Europa Industry Award at San Sebastian IFF 2020.