Bed of Procrustes

Colour, 35mm
Moldova, USA, 2001, 118 min
Section: East of the West

About the film

It’s a hot August day in Bucharest in 1928. Fred Vasilescu, the son of a wealthy and influential family, pays a call on the actress Emilia with whom, from time to time, he spends several pleasant moments in bed – like many other men in town. While there he discovers a bundle of passionate love letters. They were written by poet and well-known journalist Ladima who killed himself for unknown reasons three months previously. Fred’s thoughts wander back to the time when he first met Ladima and they became good friends. At that time Fred had met the love of his life and, like Ladima, suffered from the fiery affair. What kind of a person was he, this educated and honourable man who burned with unrequited love for a vulgar and silly tramp? What secret was Ladima keeping from his friend? And why did he take his own life?

About the director

Viorica Mesina (b. 1967, Rezina) graduated in journalism from Chisinau University in 1991. She shot her first short film in 1992. Sergiu Prodan (b. 1963, Balti) studied acting in Moscow. While taking advanced directing courses at Moscow’s VGIK film school (until 1991) he also attended classes headed by Iraklii Kvirikadze. Bed of Procrustes is their writing-directing feature debut.