In ‘The New Year That Never Came’ Bogdan Muresanu Urges People to Remember Ugliness of Ceausescu’s Regime – and to Check Santa’s CV (EXCLUSIVE)

As a seasoned movie buff with a penchant for historical dramas, I find myself captivated by Bogdan Mureșanu’s “The New Year That Never Came.” The film’s premise set during Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime in Romania is not only intriguing but also thought-provoking. It’s a chilling reminder of a time when no one could be trusted, not even Santa Claus!

At the world premiere of “The New Year That Never Came” in the Venice Film Festival, where a sneak peek was shown by EbMaster, trust is scarce. Not even the jolly old elf, Santa Claus, seems reliable.

“Indeed, one might suspect he’s working with the secret police,” jokes director Bogdan Mureșanu. “Perhaps the message of this movie is to always verify Santa’s background.”

He tracks several characters on the brink of mental breakdowns, each facing critical choices in December 1989. Among them are an ambitious actress requested for a performance in a heavily politicized TV event, two boys preparing to escape, a woman whose existence is teetering on the edge, and a young boy who recently wrote a letter to Santa. However, there’s a complication: he accidentally revealed that his father wants “Uncle Nick” eliminated.

“He expressed that he aimed for the movie to have a symphonic quality and provide a comprehensive picture of the society during that period. He was clear about the start and the finish, but chose to improvise in the middle.”

“What’s the reason for this? It’s challenging. My thoughts wandered: ‘Since I have to invest so much time into creating a movie anyway, might as well make it interesting.'”

As a keen observer, I find it fascinating that while the atrocities committed by the Ceaușescu regime, which ruled for over a decade from 1967 to 1989, are undeniably documented, many Romanians seem less critical of it now, as suggested by Mureşanu.

“As a movie enthusiast, I feel compelled to point out something often overlooked – people tend to forget the harsh realities of the past, only recalling that they were young at the time and assuming it wasn’t as tough as it truly was. This film serves as a stark reminder of just how challenging life could be back then.”

“In my opinion, communism has been destined for collapse from the start. Pursuing a utopian society often results in creating a dystopia instead. The majority of these tales are based on genuine experiences, and more often than not, they are accurate depictions of history.”

The circumstances of his protagonists can be dire, but they are also absurd.

“Our unique mark as Romansians lies in our peculiar, dark sense of humor. It’s reminiscent of playwright Ionesco. Perhaps it’s a means for us to handle the unpredictable, even historically so. We tend to find amusement in everything.”

The movie concentrates on a pivotal moment of political transformation and the composer explains his approach by saying, “I composed it like a bolero; that was my musical comparison. I aimed for it to ‘erupt’ at the end.” However, the issues portrayed in the film are not merely historical relics but continue to resonate in the present.

“It’s crucial for people to understand the threats posed by totalitarian regimes. In such societies, there’s no line between public and private life; they have complete control over every aspect, even extending to personal matters like a woman’s body. Today, on social media platforms, it’s often just about ‘liking’ or ‘disliking,’ with little room for meaningful discussion,” he points out.

“Our species often oversteps boundaries. When adopting a capitalist mindset, we prioritize mindless corporations above all else. Yet, when it comes to the plight of polar bears or other global crises, we suddenly shift our focus. It seems that we require adversaries; as C.P. Cavafy penned in his poem, ‘What will become of us without barbarians?’ – we appear to thrive on such conflicts.”

Or filmmakers who are independent, he suggests.

“In my observation, European cinema is primarily state-funded. Many directors, unless they’re already renowned or veterans, tend to shy away from portraying the authentic truth about their countries’ circumstances due to the fear of losing funding if their work doesn’t align with certain standards. However, it’s crucial that we take more risks and push boundaries in our creative expression.”

In “The Unarrived New Year,” he aimed to surpass the scale of many Romanian dramas. This film was produced jointly by Kinotopia and All Inclusive Films, and is distributed by Cercamon.

In my upcoming critique, allow me to express my enthusiasm for a unique cinematic endeavor that revolves around an ordinary yet profound subject – a cup of coffee, shared by two intriguing characters.

“I must admit, it was incredibly demanding and I doubted if I could pull it off. But surprisingly, we did! The question is, how on earth do I recreate a full-fledged TV studio from back then? Remarkably, we succeeded in making it operational.”

“Since a movie typically carries a price tag similar to that of a smaller medical facility, it’s ethically responsible for you to convey something significant through it.”

2024-08-28 22:17

In ‘The New Year That Never Came’ Bogdan Muresanu Urges People to Remember Ugliness of Ceausescu’s Regime – and to Check Santa’s CV (EXCLUSIVE)

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