Aferim!

{{Infobox film

| name = Aferim!

| image = Aferim film poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Radu Jude

| producer = Ada Solomon

| writer = Radu Jude
Florin Lăzărescu

| starring = Victor Rebengiuc
Luminița Gheorghiu

| music = Dana Bunescu

| distributor = Parada Film
Micro Film
Big World Pictures (USA){{cite web|url=http://bigworldpictures.org/films/aferim/|title=Aferim!|publisher=Big World Pictures|accessdate=9 July 2021}}

| released = {{Film date|2015|2|11|Berlin|2015|3|6|Romania|df=yes}}

| runtime = 108 minutes

| country = Romania
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
France

| language = Romanian

| gross = $350,110{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl528254465/weekend/|title=Aferim!|publisher=Box Office Mojo|accessdate=9 July 2021}}

}}

Aferim! ({{langx|en|Bravo!}}) is a 2015 Western comedy-drama film co-written and directed by Radu Jude and produced by Ada Solomon.{{cite web|accessdate=9 July 2021|url=https://www.cinemagia.ro/filme/aferim-578782/|title=Aferim! (2015)|work=Cinemagia|language=ro}} It was screened in the main competition section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival, where Radu Jude won the Silver Bear for Best Director.{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/2015/03_preistraeger_2015/03_preistraeger_2015.html|title=Prizes of the International Jury|accessdate=9 July 2021|publisher=Berlinale}} It was selected as the Romanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.romania-insider.com/and-romanias-nomination-for-next-years-oscars-is/|title=And Romania's nomination for next year's Oscars is...|work=Romania Insider|date=4 August 2015|accessdate=9 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlin-winner-aferim-picked-up-813840/|last=Kozlov|first=Vladimir|title=Berlin Winner 'Aferim!' Picked Up for U.S. Distribution|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=7 August 2015|access-date=9 July 2021}}

Plot

The film is set in Wallachia in the early 19th century, when a local policeman, Costandin (played by Teodor Corban), is hired by Iordache, a boyar, to find Carfin (played by Toma Cuzin), a Roma slave who had run away from the boyar's estate after having an affair with his wife, Sultana (played by Mihaela Sîrbu).{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-film-19352496-aferim-western-valah-despre-intoleranta-multe-altele.htm|title="Aferim!", un western valah despre intoleranță și multe altele|work=HotNews.ro|last=Blaga|first=Iulia|date=11 February 2015|language=ro|accessdate=9 July 2021}}

Cast

Teodor Corban as Costandin
Mihai Comănoiu as Ioniță
Toma Cuzin as Carfin Pandolean
Alexandru Dabija as Boyar Iordache Cîndescu
Alberto Dinache as Țintiric
Mihaela Sîrbu as Sultana
Luminița Gheorghiu as Smaranda Cîndescu
Alexandru Bindea as the priest on the road
Victor Rebengiuc as Stan
Gabriel Spahiu as Vasile
Șerban Pavlu as the traveler

Production

While the structure and the narrative had little in common with existing Romanian literature, the dialogue is often based on works by: {{ill|Iordache Golescu|ro|Iordache Golescu (boier)}}, Anton Pann, Ion Creangă, Budai-Deleanu and Nicolae Filimon.{{cite news |last1=Pârvulescu |first1=Diana |title=INTERVIU: Jude, despre "Aferim" - o legătură dintre trecut şi prezent, realităţi ce se perpetuează |url=https://www.mediafax.ro/cultura-media/interviu-jude-despre-aferim-o-legatura-dintre-trecut-si-prezent-realitati-ce-se-perpetueaza-13821612 |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=Mediafax.ro |date=2015-02-13 |location=Berlin |language=ro |quote=Radu Jude: În ce priveşte structura, povestea şi anumite situaţii narative, literatura mi-a folosit mai puţin, temele abordate în film nu prea există în literatură. Dar replicile pe care personajele le spun sunt luate într-adevăr din surse literare: Iordache Golescu, Anton Pann, de la Creangă am mai luat câte ceva. Şi de la Budai-Deleanu, din mulţi scriitori. Şi din Nicolae Filimon, de la Filimon chiar mai mult.}}

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 98% based on 76 critics, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Smart, visually arresting and scathingly funny, Aferim! depicts a world that many American filmgoers have never seen – but will still, in many respects, find utterly familiar".{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/aferim|title=Aferim! (2015)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|accessdate=9 July 2021}} On Metacritic, the film have an above average score of 84 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/aferim!|title=Aferim! Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=9 July 2021}}

Publication The Hollywood Reporter describes Radu Jude's film as "a harsh lesson of history, relieved by overlooked humor and classic Western elements". Variety magazine writes that Aferim! is "an exceptional and extremely intelligent insight into a crucial period of history, a film equally inspired and furious".{{cite web|url=https://www.mediafax.ro/cultura-media/ce-scrie-presa-de-specialitate-despre-aferim-incursiune-exceptionala-inteligenta-in-istorie-un-film-inspirat-furios-o-lectie-aspra-de-istorie-13817597|title=Ce scrie presa de specialitate despre "Aferim!": Incursiune excepțională, inteligentă în istorie; un film inspirat, furios; o lecție aspră de istorie|website=Mediafax.ro|last=Călin|first=Dorina|date=12 February 2015|language=ro}}

According to Jordan Hoffman of The Guardian, "this [film] with all its full-frontal historical horror, is still loaded with laughs".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/20/aferim-review-a-brutal-manhunt-loaded-with-laughs|last=Hoffman|first=Jordan|title=Aferim! review: a brutal manhunt loaded with laughs|newspaper=The Guardian|date=20 January 2016|accessdate=9 July 2021}}

A.O. Scott of The New York Times called Aferim! "brilliant" and "sublime",{{cite news|last=Scott|first=A.O.|title=Review: 'Aferim!' Traverses an Unforgiving Romania in the 1800s|newspaper=The New York Times|date=21 January 2016|page=C6}} while Kit Gillet of the same periodical went as far as calling it "an Oscar contender".{{cite news|last=Gillet|first=Kit|title='Aferim!', an Oscar Contender, Explores the Enslavement of the Roma|newspaper=The New York Times|date=8 September 2015|page=C1}}