Behind-the-scenes production of three weeks and two days in April

On the last day of the much-anticipated 60th Cannes Film Festival, the Romanian film "April, Three Weeks and Two Days" won the heaviest Palme d'Or. This also once again demonstrates the unique "Cannes aesthetic" to a certain extent - serious, real and thought-provoking. Cristian Mungiu, the baby-faced director, was so excited that he did not forget to mention the hardships during the filming process: half a year before the filming of "April, Three Weeks and Two Days" started, the crew still had not received a film. Invest your money. The entire film was completed while raising money while filming. And such a low-budget film that was difficult to produce finally won an award, which undoubtedly gave a resounding slap in the face to those Hollywood blockbusters that frequently invest hundreds of millions of dollars.

The story of the film takes place in Romania in 1987, when the former Soviet Union was on the verge of collapse. Christiane Mongi depicts for us the lives of two female college students, Otelia and Gabita, in such a historical context - they also have to face exams; they also have lovers and friends, current challenges and the future. opportunities; they are also girls who love beauty and will even buy black market perfume... The change in life came from Gabita's unexpected pregnancy. She had to have an abortion, but she lived in a country where abortion had been strictly prohibited for decades and the system was strict. country. As a good friend, Otelia would undoubtedly lend a helping hand, but none of them knew what price they would pay for such a thing.

"April, Three Weeks and Two Days" is only Christian Mongiu's second work, but his unique shooting method and expression are really impressive. At the beginning of the film, the camera pans across the narrow corridor, and the excitement and toughness brought about by the sense of depression and entrapment are present throughout. In the few scenes in the film, Christian Mongiu uses long shots many times to express the dialogue and inner feelings of the characters, fully mobilizes the emotional space in the cramped interior scenes, and rationally uses subjective emotions in the exterior scenes to express the character's dialogue and inner feelings. The confused girl's confusion and confusion when facing an abortion are clearly reflected. Under the overall dark tone of the film, the use of color has become a certain emotional outlet chosen by Christian Mongiu. Christian Mungiu, along with his talented cinematographer Oleg Mutu, make extensive use of primary colors in the film, with a startling gray to make the entire background more exciting.

The two girls in trouble began to think of ways to solve the problem. Otelia, who was stronger and more confident, was obviously the dominant one, while the cowardly Gabita had to rely more on her. This good friend of mine. Preparing for surgery expenses, looking for cheap hotels... Christian Mongiu uses a calm way to show an ecological picture of a special era and a special political background - everyone is fighting for survival and life. The negotiation, even when Otilia has to sell her body to the black abortion doctor Bebe in order to help her friend, is more like a business negotiation involving morality and humanity.

April, three weeks and two days was the total time from Gabita's pregnancy to her abortion. Powerlessness and moral decay are the axis and basis on which this film operates. Christian Mongiu sensitively evokes the lingering specter of people's lives under the Soviet Union - which we can't help but think of. At the Cannes Film Festival in the past two years, two films also came from Eastern Europe: Cristi Piui's "No Doctor" and Corleniu Porumboiu's "Bucharest East" 12:08", whether it is the artistic revolution taking place in that land that has experienced vicissitudes of history, or this year's "Big Directors" such as Wong Kar-Wai, the Coen Brothers, and Quentin Tarantino on the beach in Cannes. Witnessing Christian Mongiu winning the Palme d'Or gives us reason to expect that the future of the movie world will be more diverse.

Highlights

·A low-cost film from Romania won the most important Palme d'Or at the 60th Cannes Film Festival.

·In the first six months of the filming of this film, the crew had not received any investment, and the entire filming process was accompanied by constant fundraising.