Romania | 1980 | 83min | cast: Anton Aftenie, Dorel Visan, George Bussun, George Negoescu, Luiza Orosz, Costel Radulescu, Horia Baciu, Dragos Paslaru In Romanian with English subtitles.
Iosif Demian, one of the leading cameramen of his generation, and novelist Petre Salcudeanu conceived A Girl's Tear as a film within a film. 16mm footage made by a police cameraman investigates a young girl's mysterious death, the edge of the 16mm frame visible within the larger 35mm frame. This other film - the 35mm film being made by Demian - is at first completely identified with the police investigation movie, but gradually the two forms separate. The 16mm footage follows the crime. The 35mm film becomes increasingly a portrait of the community that spawned the murder-and the consequences of the act.
A cinema-verité approach to this mystery story about the death of a young girl in a village adds credence to the story itself, it is as though the audience were following along with a real investigation instead of simply watching a narrative unfold. Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
A Girl's Tear is part of the Romanian Cinematheque, a year-round programme that brings the best Romanian films to London. Click here for June - July 2010 programme (Word file).
Partners: the National Centre for Cinematography in Romania (CNC)
When: Tuesday, 15 June 2010, 7pm; Where: Romanian Cultural Institute London. Free entrance. To attend please email office@icr-london.co.uk or call 0207 752 0134. Early booking recommended.
