With a theme (and poster) inspired by Roberto Rosellini’s Europe ’51, Romanian director Radu Jude addresses some of modern society’s ills, and the way that people attempt to assuage their social guilt while still being trapped in the system. Kontinental ’25 plays at London Film Festival.
During the eviction of a homeless man in the Romanian city of Cluj, a tragic event occurs which pulls the bailiff responsible (Orsolya, played by Eszter Tompa) into a personal moral crisis which dogs her over the following days. Although legally exonerated from any blame, Orsolya nevertheless feels guilty about the incident, and believes that she could have done more to prevent the situation from happening.
With her family departing for a holiday, Orsolya spends the next few days looking for people to talk with about her guilt, including her good friend Dorina (Oana Mardare), her mother (Annamária Biluska) and her former student-turned-fast-food-delivery-cyclist Fred (Adonis Tanța). What emerges is a satirical tale of current Romanian politics and society.
While Orsolya wrestles with her conscience, in the background is the constant reminder of the gap between rich and poor, in terms of both wealth, housing opportunities and moral compass. Many of the issues covered are, of course, found globally and not just in Romania, but by focussing on one city, and the situation of one person in it, it’s easier for the absurdity of the situation to hit home.
And in that respect, Radu Jude’s film is very thought provoking. We may feel pleased with ourselves for donating the price of a coffee to a charitable cause, but has it really achieved anything, other than temporarily assuaging some of our social guilt? The larger problem is that we’re trapped within a system which makes larger change difficult, unless it benefits those at the top – either politically or financially, and the actions of a well-intentioned ‘ordinary person’ appear to make little difference.
Jude acknowledges the inspiration of Rossellini’s Europe ‘51 on this film – a woman feeling guilt in search of redemption – and both the title and the poster for Kontinental ’25 even have echoes of the Italian’s creation.
The inclusion of a woodland dinosaur walk may be a step too far for some viewers, but Kontinental ’25 is an accessible satire that will make you think about where society is headed.
Kontinental ’25 plays in the Debate strand of London Film Festival 2025.
With a theme (and poster) inspired by Roberto Rosellini’s Europe ’51, Romanian director Radu Jude addresses some of modern society’s ills, and the way that people attempt to assuage their social guilt while still being trapped in the system. Kontinental ’25 plays at London Film Festival.
During the eviction of a homeless man in the Romanian city of Cluj, a tragic event occurs which pulls the bailiff responsible (Orsolya, played by Eszter Tompa) into a personal moral crisis which dogs her over the following days. Although legally exonerated from any blame, Orsolya nevertheless feels guilty about the incident, and believes that she could have done more to prevent the situation from happening.
With her family departing for a holiday, Orsolya spends the next few days looking for people to talk with about her guilt, including her good friend Dorina (Oana Mardare), her mother (Annamária Biluska) and her former student-turned-fast-food-delivery-cyclist Fred (Adonis Tanța). What emerges is a satirical tale of current Romanian politics and society.
While Orsolya wrestles with her conscience, in the background is the constant reminder of the gap between rich and poor, in terms of both wealth, housing opportunities and moral compass. Many of the issues covered are, of course, found globally and not just in Romania, but by focussing on one city, and the situation of one person in it, it’s easier for the absurdity of the situation to hit home.
And in that respect, Radu Jude’s film is very thought provoking. We may feel pleased with ourselves for donating the price of a coffee to a charitable cause, but has it really achieved anything, other than temporarily assuaging some of our social guilt? The larger problem is that we’re trapped within a system which makes larger change difficult, unless it benefits those at the top – either politically or financially, and the actions of a well-intentioned ‘ordinary person’ appear to make little difference.
Jude acknowledges the inspiration of Rossellini’s Europe ‘51 on this film – a woman feeling guilt in search of redemption – and both the title and the poster for Kontinental ’25 even have echoes of the Italian’s creation.
The inclusion of a woodland dinosaur walk may be a step too far for some viewers, but Kontinental ’25 is an accessible satire that will make you think about where society is headed.
Kontinental ’25 plays in the Debate strand of London Film Festival 2025.
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