On December 25, the revolution ended and Romania entered its adventure of what democracy is. Dracula has prepared a guide to give you a sense of what communism was like and, more importantly, how it ended.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 săptămâni și 2 zile) – 2007
Genre: Horror/Drama
We have recommended this movie multiple times. It is a masterpiece, and as you can see, it is in the horror genre, as some people’s experience of communism was absolutely horrific. There was a decree that there needed to be a population boost, and many parents had to deal with unplanned pregnancies. We even call that generation decretei (kids from the decree). Weirdly, abortion has re-emerged as a discussion when we already have a precedent for what will happen with an abortion ban.
Why did we choose this movie?
Really good acting showcases societal dynamics during that period of time, and it received the Cannes Award.
Tales from the Golden Age (Amintiri din epoca de aur) – 2009
Genre: Comedy History
Another movie about Romania that was recommended multiple times. It is not a movie in and of itself, it is a set of multiple short stories in video format that delve into the absurdity of a totalitarian regime. There are rules, but people still need to live their lives, juggling the legal and illegal lines in very funny ways.
Why did we choose this movie?
The concept is remarkable: it follows a line of urban myths that to this day, we are not sure if they happened or not. There was so much propaganda during those times, and information was kept under wraps, that the absurdity of the regime sometimes blurred the line between fiction and reality.
Silent Wedding (Nunta muta) – 2008
Genre: Comedy Drama History
The best way Romanians deal with trauma is through comedy. There is plenty of trauma in our dramas, but this is a light comedy to remind us of the absurdity of being forced by a regime to do something you don’t want to do, even though it doesn’t make any sense. That basically leads to having to do a silent wedding.
Why did we choose this movie?
It gives you a glimpse of what life was like during communism and, most importantly, a dive into the Romanian sense of humor, which is what makes Romania the wonderful country it is today.
Freedom (Libertate) – 2023
Genre: Drama Thriller War
The end of the regime was the revolution of 1989, culminating with the execution of the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu on the 25 of December. For Romanians watching the events in Bucharest, it seemed like it was a very short revolution that ended up really cut and dry, but… it was more complicated than that, and this movie showcases this.
Why did we choose this movie?
It is well documented and showcases the revolution that few people have heard of, the revolution in Sibiu. It showcases the atmosphere and the absurd stories circulating about the event.
12:08 East of Bucharest (A fost sau n-a fost?) – 2006
Genre: Comedy Drama
The regime ended, but what happened on that day is still haunting for some. To showcase the absurdity of those events, this movie goes through a comedy route and argues if there was a revolution in the town of Vaslui.
Why did we choose this movie?
It is not clear and cut what happened in the revolution, and even after the events settled down, we are still trying to deal with the past and what happened. The best way we deal with it is to showcase the absurdity of not knowing if the revolution happened in a town or not.
If you want more movies:
And if you would like to relax with a dictator:
Special thanks to IMDB for the snippets of the movies: https://www.imdb.com/?ref_=nv_home
Dracula's Guide to Romania 
Leave a comment