Why Are the Bells Ringing, Mitica?(1981)

Based on a theatrical text by Romanian writer Ion Luca Caragiale (1852-1912), who was a bitter and funny witness of the turn-of-the-20th-century Romanian bourgeois mores, Carnival Scenes manages to preserve and further enhance the slightly hysteric atmosphere of his plays. Pintilie creates a strange combination of carnival scenes which is brought to the screen as a burlesque, fast-paced, screwball comedy with a meditative undertone. This film was banned in Romania for a decade until the death of Ceausescu in 1989 and was only released after the 1989 revolution.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Director: Lucian Pintilie

Actors: Victor Rebengiuc, Mariana Mihut, Petrica Gheorghiu, Tora Vasilescu, Gheorghe Dinica, Mircea Diaconu, Florin Zamfirescu, Stefan Banica, Constantin Baltaretu, Stefan Iordache

Release date: 1981-09-26

Country of origin: Romania

Length: 2h 12m

Ratings:

• 7.8/10