... His unfinished masterpiece California Dreamin' was his last film before a fatal car crash in 2006. It won the Prix un certain regard at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
California Dreamin' takes place in Romania, and is based on a true story. In 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, ... Read review
This Ambitious, Sharp And Hilarious Satire Of Petty Bureaucracy And Cultural ... more
Misunderstandings Is Set In A Small Romanian Town During The 1999 Kosovo Conflict. A US-Manned NATO Train Bound For The Border UnexpectedlyReaches The End Of The Line When A Stubborn And Pedantic Station Master Applies The Brakes Over A Paperwork Technicality. Sensing A Golden Opportunity To Profit From The Americans' Unexpected Presence, TheLocal Community Go To Ridiculous Lengths To Welcome Them, While The Stranded Troops' Hard-Bitten And Increasingly Frustrated Captain (Armande Assante) Decides To Take Matters Into His Own Hands.......
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Disc 1 Do It Again (Garden Party) (Jeff Lorber) Rhiannon (Kymaera) Walk In The Night (Dave ... more
McMurray) Lovely Day (Wilbert Longmire) Take Me To The Mardi Gras (Bob James) Fly Like An Eagle (Kymaera) Black Magic Woman (Kymaera) FM (No Static At All) (Garden Party) (Jeff Lorber) (Nick Kirgo) Too Hot Lowdown (Kymaera) Its Too Late (Kymaera) What A Fool Believes (Kymaera) I Second That Emotion (Cooper Craig T) You Belong To Me (Kymaera) Sailing (Kymaera) Disc 2 California Dreaming (Kymaera) Give Me The Night (Tom Browne) Fields Of Gold (Michael 'Patches' Stewart) 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (Kymaera) Help Me (Kymaera) Deacon Blues (Garden Party) Serpentine Fire (Mark Colby) Livin' On The Fault Line (Kymaera) Chuck E's In Love (Kymaera) Reunited (Bob James) Babylon Sisters (Kymaera) Ain't No Sunshine (Beaujolais Band) Walk On By (Lenny White) You've Made Me So Very Happy (Khani Cole) Killing Me Softly With His Song (Bonnie Peele) (Dave McMurray)
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Advantages: art direction, compelling narrative, historical background Disadvantages: cast
...change opinions. His unfinished masterpiece California Dreamin' was his last film before a fatal car crash in 2006. It won the Prix un certain regard at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
California Dreamin' takes place in Romania, and is based on a true story. In 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, a train containing American radar equipment required in Kosovo goes through Romania and is held up for several days in a small village ... ...Căpālniţa) because some customs papers are missing.
Since the train is occupied by American soldiers, the village folk make an effort to welcome the visitors, while the station manager, who has a grudge against America, holds up the train. The reason being that Russian soldiers took his parents away (for being German supporters) at the end of World War 2 and he had hoped the Americans would arrive, which never happened. So, ... more
has produced a work of art that changes perspectives, that gives the spectator food for thought, and has the arguments to change opinions. His unfinished masterpiece California Dreamin' was his last film before a fatal car crash in 2006. It won the Prix un certain regard at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
California Dreamin' takes place in Romania, and is based on a true story. In 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, a train containing American radar equipment required in Kosovo goes through Romania and is held up for several days in a small village on the Bărăgan Plain (in the movie, the village of Căpālniţa) because some customs papers are missing.
Since the train is occupied by American soldiers, the village folk make an effort to welcome the visitors, while the station manager, who has a grudge against America, holds up the train. The reason being that Russian soldiers took his parents away (for being German supporters) at the end of World War 2 and he had hoped the Americans would arrive, which never happened. So, by holding the train on some bureaucratic pretext the station manager is in fact attenuating the pain for the loss of his parents.
The contrast between rural life in Romania and the American culture represented untactfully by the soldiers is stark. The American soldiers are quite happy to mingle with the Romanian girls, while their exasperated commander fumes and seethes while trying to get the train on its way.
As the Americans are integrated into the village life, the mayor of the village befriends the commander and together they instigate a revolt against the station manager, with the promise of american support if it came to fighting. The americans leave on the morning of the revolt and no help comes, leading to chaos and actual deaths. All the girls who wanted to leave with the americans are predictably left behind.
What is obvious from the start is the willingness of the villagers to please, the underlying critique of American views on politics and international affairs and the shrugging of responsibility within the Romanian bureaucracy. I guess the final irony is the revelation that the radar was installed two hours after the ceasefire with Yugoslavia was signed. Interesting and provocative.
Contains strong language, sex and one scene of strong violence
Video Category
World Cinema Feature Film
Country Of Origin
Romania
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
ARTIFICIAL EYE; FUSION MEDIA SALES; SONY DADC
Languages
Main Language
Romanian
Subtitle Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Making of, Trailer
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital
Professional reviews
Review
Impressive... Perceptive and often very moving (Empire, 28/07/2008)
Dark-tinged, deadpan humour... very funny (Sight And Sound, 28/07/2008)
Witty and moving (The Guardian, 28/07/2008)
DVD Description
Set in a Romanian town during the 1999 Kosovo Conflict, CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' focuses on a bureaucratic station master who causes friction over a paperwork technicality when a US-manned NATO train wishes to stop in his domain.
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