NEWS

The Davidson Film Club is pleased to invite you to a discussion of the multiple award-winning Romanian film, Graduation, winner of the Best Director Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer: 95%

Directed by Cristian Mungiu

Romania (2016, 2h08)

In Romanian with English subtitles

This is the final film in our second virtual series, running from January to June 2021.

We will discuss Graduation on Zoom on Saturday, June 26, at 7:00 p.m. Here is the link to the Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85678588412?pwd=SEU4RG9BYUJvckdYb09jbW9zS1BIZz09

Meeting ID: 856 7858 8412

Passcode: 271771

Discussion will be led by Dr. Jill Massino, Associate Professor of History, UNCC (specialist in the history of Romania and the Cold War).

There is no membership fee for this program, only the modest cost of the on-line film rental that yields no revenue to the Davidson Film Club.

Graduation may be rented on Vudu or Prime Video for $2.99. It is available on Netflix by mail.

Vudu: https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Graduation/945040?cmp=rt_where_to_watch

Prime Video:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CVRW53S/ref=pv_ag_gcf?cmp=rt_where_to_watch&tag=rottetomao-20

Film Summary – Romeo Aldea (49), a physician living in a small mountain town in Transylvania, has raised his daughter Eliza with the idea that once she turns 18, she will leave to study and live abroad. His plan is close to succeeding:

Eliza has won a scholarship to study psychology in the UK. She just has to pass her final exams, a formality for such a good student. On the day before her first written exam, Eliza is assaulted in an attack that could jeopardize her entire future. Now Romeo has to make a decision. There are ways of solving the situation, but none of them using the principles he, as a father, has taught his daughter. Graduation is a masterful look at the complex moral choices and compromises some people make when desperation takes hold.

Nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Multiple FL Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay awards.

 “It feels like nothing’s happening until you realize everything is, right before your eyes.” Ty Burr, Boston Globe

“To Mungiu’s credit, he makes it clear that, although the film is set in Romania, its moral quandaries could be taking place anywhere.” Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

“An intelligent, elegant, morally ambiguous, and quite frankly brilliant tale of corruption and questioning whether it can ever be justified.” Nick Evan-Cook, One Room With A View

“Graduation resists easy resolutions or satisfying conclusions. It’s a cinematic moral conundrum, raising numerous questions and answering very few of them.” Joel Mayward, Cinemayward

“Cristian Mungiu is unquestionably a master dramatist and master commander of cinematic grammar, and Graduation is one of the most formally accomplished films of recent years.” PJ Nabarro

“Graduation has a lot on its mind but is told in such an intimate way it’s like eavesdropping on a conversation: the closer you listen, the more you’ll hear.” Adame Graham, Detroit News

Our updated website at www.davidsonfilmclub.com features the whole current series and film descriptions. Have you Bookmarked it?

We are a non-profit, tax-exempt organization run by volunteers that only exists to bring you fine international fiction films and engage in stimulating discussion about them.

Hope to see many of you on Zoom on Saturday, June 26, for the discussion of this morally troubling film! Share the Zoom link with your friends! There is no charge by the Film Club, and there is room for everyone!

 

Alan Singerman

President, Davidson Film Club

[email protected]

(704) 231-6736

 

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