Libertate 2023 HC.10Bit Magnet
11/36
Story
During the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Sibiu witnesses a violent attack on a police station that escalates into armed clashes between soldiers, police, protesters and the secret police
References Rocky (1976). 1.
This effect is also achieved through the camera being rather close to the action and the focus / angles / framing / sound design during dialogues or action-focused scenes
Great production “Freedom” or “Libertate” (2023), directed by Tudor Giurgiu and produced by Oana Giurgiu is a rare gem among the few pieces of Romanian filmography that take a look at the events that took place in Romania in December 1989 The experience is extremely immersive partly due to the fast and well-crafted camera movements (as if you were one of the characters in the background witnessing the story unfold) and the incredible sound and effects design (which are complemented by your sense of hearing, your presence during these events). Everything from the decor to the side effects portrays a complete and deeply immersive experience of the ’89 Revolution as seen from Sibiu, evoking a sense of “Hollywood budget” production factor, for which the production team should be commended and which makes this film a must-see for all Romanians, especially those who did not live through these events and would benefit immensely from adding this little landmark to a vocabulary of insights into their country’s history.
As for the dialogues, the lines are wonderfully flavorful, capturing the colorful vocabulary of the times and the spirit of the Romanian people through their language in the face of adversity (thanks in large part to the impeccable acting of the actors and actresses)
Brimming with clichéd, modern and humorous moments here and there, the immersion is not broken and the dominant theme of the Romanian saying: “Facem haz de necaz” – or “To make fun of when you are in trouble” remains beautifully captured, something that Romanian audiences would clearly relate to despite the colorless, hopeless and creepy atmosphere. 2.
Lack of message The other side of the coin here is what ended up feeling like an incomplete artistic vision on the part of the directing team
Simply put, after leaving the cinema one is left with a confused feeling of not having fully understood the message of the film, as if one were to receive a perfectly made cake on a random Tuesday at 1 pm and wonder what the occasion is. As other reviewers have said, this film is a great x-ray of the events that unfolded during that time, but as with any x-ray it requires a diagnostician to guide the patient through the end result of a correct and digestible conclusion, perhaps not in the case of modern art, but certainly when it comes to historical films.
This may be due in part to an intentional neutrality of the director’s vision or an accidental oversight as a result of the focus on the story itself, the research and its delivery
In the case of “Libertate” the director’s vision has either been obscured by the focus on production and realism or diluted in the process, to the point that a viewer does not feel gently led towards an overarching message or a conclusive moral, as is usually the end goal of storytelling, regardless of the medium. However, conclusions can still be drawn, but they may have left uncomfortably much to the discretionary and subjective experiences of the viewer who in this case, regardless of generation, is looking less for freedom of opinion and more for answers about what really happened in ’89 and who is responsible for the numerous deaths that occurred.