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If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle

Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier

Sweden, Romania

2010

94 Min
Color
1.85:1
Romanian
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
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DIR Florin Şerban

EXEC Florentina Onea

PROD Cătălin Mitulescu, Daniel Mitulescu

SCR Cătălin Mitulescu, Florin Şerban

DP Marius Panduru

CAST George Piştereanu, Ada Condeescu, Clara Voda, Mihai Constantin

ED Sorin Baican, Cătălin Cristuţiu

PROD DES Ana Ioneci

SOUND Florin Tabacaru

Berlinale (Competition): Jury Grand Prix, Alfred Bauer Award, Transilvania (Romanian Days), Telluride, São Paulo (New Filmmakers Competition), Edinburgh (Rosebud), Stockholm (Competition): Best Actor, Chicago

Synopsis

Silviu, a young delinquent, is about to be released from reform school. Only five days to go. But ever since he learned that his mother has suddenly reappeared on the scene after a long absence and is determined to take his young brother away to live with her, these five days have seemed like an eternity. Silviu himself has raised his little brother and loves him as if he were his own son.

During his time behind bars Silviu has met and fallen head over heels in love with a young social worker who is studying psychology. Time is running out and his anxiety about his brother begins to turn into panic. Without a moment’s hesitation, he decides to kidnap Ana and run away with her. Once outside he gets his first taste of freedom: the wind in his hair, the open road – and his first kiss. Everything and anything seems possible. The male lead in this adaptation of a stage play by Romanian author Andreea Vălean is played by a nonprofessional, George Piştereanu, who is a high school pupil from Bucharest. He and the other members of the cast were chosen during a period of auditions that lasted six months. Among those given roles were a number of juvenile delinquents from a reformatory. The boys were permitted to attend acting classes in order to prepare for their roles. While Florin Şerban was making this feature film, director Ivana Mladenovic also shot a documentary film (working title “Life In Squares”) about the lives of young offenders in Romania. —Berlinale

Wall

Displaying 4 of 12 wall posts.
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Litha62

9Sep12

Well-acted, but a ridiculously implausible story. As though a bunch of prison guards would stand around and allow a young, violent prisoner who has just knocked a guard out cold and held a shard of glass at his hostages throat (with whom is is supposedly 'in love' - they have spoken briefly only a couple of times, demand a car and then be allowed to drive himself and his hostage off prison grounds 'for a coffee'? No.

a şi u likes this

Picture of SP

SP

29Jul12

Really like the way the ending is shot. it just stick with u...

a şi u likes this

Picture of Michael Harbour

Michael Harbour

16Jan12

Fine performances and well realized characters in a prison/juvenile detention drama which unfortunately starts to wear a little thin before it wraps up.

Picture of t.j. royal

t.j. royal

29Oct11

I like it.

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Articles

Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.
W184

"Whistle," "Phil Ochs," Events, Lists, News

By David Hudson on January 5, 2011

"If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle, Romania's official submission for the best foreign-language film Oscar, is a study in confinement," writes

read article
W184

Berlinale. Cons and Ex-Cons

By David Hudson on March 2, 2010

Imprisonment figured into even the top brand Competition entries at this year's Berlinale. "You'll never leave this island," Teddy Daniels

read article
W184

Berlinale. Awards and roundups.

By David Hudson on February 20, 2010

The International Jury for the 60th Berlinale, presided over by Werner Herzog, has awarded the Golden Bear to Bal (Honey), the third part

read article

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Reviews

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Something Lost in Translation

By Byron Brubake​r on August 31, 2011

I viewed this at the 2011 Cleveland International Film Festival. Character driven drama about a young man (Pistereanu) in a desperate situation. With a slow deliberate pace we see that he is coping…  read review

I Want to Whistle, I Whistle

By Rio Johan on November 27, 2010

Eu când vreau sa fluier, fluier or If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle is the representative of Romania for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar 2011. One of the five positions merebutkan film nominations…  read review

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