The Death of Mister Lazarescu (2005)

Essential Viewing

Romania
Feature Film
Original Title: Moartea domnului Lazarescu
Director: Cristi Puiu
Writers: Cristi Puiu, Razvan Radulescu
Cinematographers: Andrei Butica, Oleg Mutu
Composer: Andreea Paduraru
Cast: Ion Fiscuteanu, Luminta Gheorghiu, Gabriel Spahiu, Doru Ana, Dana Dogaru, Serban Pavlu, Florin Zamfirescu, Clara Voda, Adrian Titieni, Mihai Bratila, Monica Barladeanu

Combining unflinching, handheld camerawork, the blackest of wits, and a corrosively allegorical eye, Puiu’s multi award winning muckraker – a terribly depressing yet addictively compelling look at the final (?) hours of our dishevelled, eponymous hero, as he is shipped from hospital to hospital, and uncaring doctor to uncaring doctor – is an often difficult film to watch, but a genuinely rewarding one, none the less. Iain.Stott