12:08 East of Bucharest

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Gil-Scott Heron once wrote "the revolution will not be televised," but one Romanian newsman attempts to put his nation's revolution on the air after the fact in this satiric comedy from writer and director Corneliu Porumboiu. It's the sixteenth anniversary of the revolt that removed Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu from power in Romania, and Jderescu (Ion Sapdaru) is the host of a televised public affairs show who wants to do a special program on the revolution. Jderescu's idea is to bring on a handful of ordinary citizens to discuss their role in Ceausescu's overthrow and how their lives have changed since Communist rule was swept from Romania. However, Jderescu can only round up two guests for his broadcast -- elderly Piscoci (Mircea Andreescu), who's more interested in playing Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids than talking politics, and Manescu (Teo Corban), a schoolteacher nursing a brutal hangover. As Jderescu tries to lead a serious discussion of how Romania has changed since Ceausescu was driven from power, the conversation wanders off on a tangent about where the revolution actually took place, and the waters become even more muddied when Jderescu opens up the phone lines for questions from viewers, most of whom have their own distinct (and strongly conflicting) memories of the Revolution . . . and one of which has a bone to pick with Manescu over some drunken insults he hurled the night before. A Fost Sau n-a Fost? (aka 12:08 East of Bucharest) received its North American premier at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Audio: DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1
• Encoding: NTSC
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV, Color
• Subtitle: Spanish, English
• Features:
  • Director commentary
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • English & Spanish subtitles

AWARDS

• Cannes Film Festival

•     Won Camera d'Or - 2006
•     Film Presented - 2006

• Independent Spirit Awards

•     Nominated Best Foreign Film - 2006

• London Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2006

• Melbourne International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

• Telluride Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2006

• Toronto International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2006

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Director:

  Corneliu Porumboiu

• Producer:

  Corneliu Porumboiu

• Screenwriter:

  Corneliu Porumboiu

• Cinematographer:

  Marius Panduru

• Composer (Music Score):

  Rotaria

• Editor:

  Roxana Szel

• Production Designer:

  Daniel Raduta

• Art Director:

  Daniel Raduta

• Executive Producer:

  Daniel Burlac

• Costume Designer:

  Monica Raduta

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Alexandru Dragomir, Sebastian Zsemlye

• Makeup:

  Cristina Illie

• Special Effects:

  Mihai Reti, Florin Stoian

• First Assistant Director:

  Mihai Sofronea

• Camera Operator:

  George Dascalescu

• Production Accountant:

  Oltei Rodica

• Post Production Coordinator:

  Cezar Helmis

• Location Manager:

  Marcela Ursu

• Assistant Director:

  Alexandru Vitzentzatos

• Gaffer:

  Ion Nica, Constantin Dinu

• Properties:

  Luca Ionut, Alin Iacovle