Um Verão Inesquecível

Those who have seen films by Lucian Pintilie, one of the greatest directors in the history of Romanian cinema, would find it easy to detect his unflinching sympathy for the underdogs. Beginning with "Reconstitution" (1968) until "Niki and Flo"(2003),all his films are about brave people who are able to wriggle out of tough problems solely through their tenacity. One of Lucian Pintilie's more internationally acclaimed films, "An Unforgettable Summer" draws viewers' attention towards the ignominious persecution of ordinary, innocent Bulgarian workers by some bad elements of Romanian army. Its wickedness is shown solely from the point of view of a person whose parents' lives were shattered beyond recognition during a turbulent summer when a group of mean Romanian army personnel punished everybody who was not on their side. One should not be shocked to see that some Romanian army officers were depicted not only as philanderers but also as enemies of humanity. It is amidst such a morass that an honest army officer and his wife emerge victorious as they are able to overcome their ethical dilemma by choosing the path to justness. Although "An Unforgettable Summer" is not a philosophical film per se, Lucian Pintilie's film does succeed in highlighting the message that one man's "arbitrary logic" might lead another man to be despondent to such an extent to even contemplate suicide.