By: debbie lynn elias
Los Angeles Film Festival 2007 boasts an expansive and diverse collection of international films and no country more prominent that Romania. One of the three such submissions is THE PAPER WILL BE BLUE. Directed by Radu Muntean and written by Muntean, Razvan Radulescu and Alexandra Baciu, THE PAPER WILL BE BLUE also speaks to the final hours of the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu and specifically, the night of December 22, 1989 when Ceausescu’s reign of terror was brought to its end compliments of a military coup and general uprising.
In order to quell any uprisings during the chaotic state of the government, militia are dispatched throughout the country under the command of Lt. Neagu. Themselves uncertain of what is happening in the country, militia and military alike listen as a faltering radio delivers broken and conflicting reports over control of the national television station, government buildings, towns, etc. Costi, an ambitious young militia recruit, yearns to enter any fracas that is occurring and pleads and argues with Neagu to go defend the television station. It’s the closest thing around and it will make them feel involved and useful as opposed to being “babysitters.” Neagu refuses. Undeterred Costi breaks ranks and heads off to join the revolution and protect the media outlet.
Stopped in his tracks by a protest, Costi is recruited to aid the protestors in defending their home against terrorists only to find the tables quickly turn as he is branded as a terrorist and arrested. A little slow on the uptake, Neagu finally realizes that Costi is AWOL. Fearing his own status with whatever powers are now in charge, Neagu heads off on a manhunt to Costi’s home.
Cutting between Costi, who is trying to defend himself and his democratic beliefs, the Costi household, and scenes of national upheaval, we are met with chaos up and close and personal. His mother and girlfriend are grief-stricken with worry over Costi’s safety, especially when Neagu arrives at the house and reports him missing. Actual archival television footage broadcasting on December 22, 1989 is playing on the tv, creating even more panic and total sense of confusion. Civilians have taken up arms. Gypsies are arrested as being Arab terrorists. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? What are we fighting for, who are we fighting and more importantly, who are we shooting at? It’s not just verbal barbs being fired that night, but bullets. And no one seems to have an answer which makes for some comic relief amidst a country’s darkest day.
In his first feature role, Paul Ipate was hand picked by Radu Muntean to star as Costi. Himself only 4 years of age when the Revolution took place, Ipate still has memories of his mother pushing him onto the floor under the bed to protect him from stray bullets that may come their way. He brings a welcome energetic naivete to Costi that is uplifting. Veteran actor Adi Carauleanu brings 25 years of theater experience to his first major film role, that of Lt. Neagu. With a depth of emotion that can only come from his vast experience, Carauleanu presents us with man befuddled by chaos, only knowing one thing – the military – but struggling to do the right thing only he doesn’t know what the right thing is. He is as amusing to watch as Ipate.
Premised on the actual events of the Romanian revolution in which two armored divisions of the Interior Ministry troops were “accidentally butchered” resulting in “considerable media attention” according to Director Radu Muntean. It was for a period of some 24-48 hours on December 22, 1989 that the Romanian people went “berserk.” With no clear cut enemy, either by mistake, inadvertence, accident or excusable neglect, 1000 people were left dead.
Using comedy as an outlet to demonstrate the irony and absurdity of humanity, Muntean, together with co-writers Radulescu and Baciu go for broke and create “ a night in the life of” feature. Using actual archival film footage from that fateful night, violence is met head-on but then counter-balanced by things such as armies making tactical decisions based on tv commentary from anyone who can get to a camera or microphone, and a young man calling his mother to vouch for his credibility and political preferences. (In times of war and times of stress, it seems that mothers always play a part.) However, the lunacy and idiocy (and truth) of the situation is as appropriate in today’s political climate as it was in Romania in 1989. The dialogue is at times as chaotic as the story but that is its intention and it works with beauteous result.
Shot entirely at night but for one scene, we again have a film shot using handheld cameras and Altmanesque dialogue structure thus lending itself more to the nature of human emotions and an unbelievable level of honesty and realism. Capitalizing on the sense of confusion allowed by handheld cameras, combined with the archival television footage, the end result is more of a docudramedy feel that is rare and quite enjoyable.
Well crafted with a rich historical center, THE PAPER WILL BE BLUE joins the ranks as one of my favorite foreign films and I hope yours as well.
Directed by Radu Muntean and written by Muntean, Razvan Radulescu and Alexandra Baciu.
