California Dreamin’ | Dir. Cristian Nemescu | Romania
Whilst accompanying sensitive radar equipment across the Romanian railroads (during the 1999 Kosovo war) a train load of US troops become held up by locals upon failure to provide the correct documentation to accompany their cargo. Forced to take up indefinite residence in the town we follow the myriad of grudges, romances, and exploitations their presence induces.
Although long and sometimes meandering I felt the film really shined when moving away from foreign politics of the predicament and into personal ones. Interactions between star crossed young lovers struggling to overcome communication barriers and others dealing with the jealousy and pain of adolescent unrequited love, are compassionate and often humorous.
The tight script and acting creates memorable performances - even inducing instances of empathy for the most hardened and pitiless of characters. As the film quietly interweaves moments of tragedy and comedy amidst the political standoff it slowly builds to to a violent and compelling final act that is tainted with heartbreak and hope.
Sadly destined to be both Nemescu’s debut and final feature film after his tragic death in 2006 (alongside the films sound editor Andrei Toncu), he was posthumously awarded the Un Certain Regard prize in Cannes 2007. Whilst the Cannes jury were hesitant to award a film that was essentially ‘unfinished’, after a screening they changed their minds and cited that it was “far and above, the most lively and liberated film proposal we’ve seen in our ten days here.”
It will forever be unknown as to whether Nemescu intended to make further changes to the film. However, the decision to leave the film in its final state not only stands as a mark of respect, but shows how even ‘unfinished’ this film was a promising, ambitious and award winning first work.
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