4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

Colour, 35 mm
Romania, 2007, 113 min
Section: Open Eyes

Synopsis

Gabita, a student, is planning to rid herself of an unwanted pregnancy with the assistance of her friend, Otilia. The year is 1987, and abortions are illegal in Romania. They have to find out who can do it illegally and, if possible, for not much money. Everything is ready, but nothing goes according to plan. The room where the “operation” is supposed to take place is not in the right hotel, instead of going to meet “Mr Bébé”, who is to perform the abortion, Gabita sends Otilia, who has promised her fiancé that she will come to his mother’s birthday party. Dealing with “Mr Bébé” is a nightmare, but the girls have no alternative but to meet his conditions if they want him to keep his promise. “Abortions were forbidden in Romania in 1966, and so the generation born in the 1970s was a lot larger. At the end of Communism it was found that more than half a million women had died as a result of backstreet abortions. Abortion in those days lacked any kind of moral context, but was seen more as a way of rebelling against the regime,” says Cristian Mungiu.

About the director

Cristian Mungiu (b.1968, Iaşi, Romania), studied English literature and film direction. Until 1994 he worked as a teacher and a journalist. During his studies he gained experience as an assistant director making foreign films in Romania. When he completed his studies in 1998 he began making shorts. His first feature length film, Occident, was awarded at Cannes in 2002, where it was presented in the Directors’ Fortnight program, and won a number of other prizes as well. In 2003 he established his own production company, Mobra Films. His other works include Turkey Girl and a story from the anthology film Lost and Found (2005). 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days was awarded the Palme d’Or at this year’s 60th Cannes Film Festival.