The Unsophisticates Update #7

SFF Film - If I want to Whistle, I Whistle (Drama)

I wanted to whistle loudly myself after this film. Some kind of loud obnoxious wolf whistle – but I decided that probably wasn’t the best way to show my appreciation in such a refine and cultured setting! This debut feature film, from Romanian director Florin Serban, is nothing short of incredible.

‘If I want to Whistle, I Whistle’ is a raw and emotionally charged story about 18 year old Silviu who has spent the last four years in a harsh and rundown juvenile detention centre and is going to be released in a matter of days. He’s had a stellar behaviour record so far so it shouldn’t be that hard to keep it together for a few more days right? But after a visit from his little brother Marius, Silviu learns that their mother has recently returned after an eight year absence and is planning to take Marius back to Italy with her. His anger and resentment and complete lack of control over the situation leads him to take a series of risks that threaten to derail his pending release.

The film is about choices – when to make them and for what reasons. From the moment Silviu learns of his mother’s plans, I found the suspense almost unbearable as I silently pleaded with him from my theatre seat to make the “right” choices at each junction he was faced with. But as we all do, Silviu must decide for himself what is ultimately the “right” choice given the circumstances he finds himself in. The film also cleverly illustrates that it is often not just our own choices, but the choices of others that ultimately determine our destiny. In Silviu’s case, choices made by his mother (past and present), choices made by the prison warden, choices made by other inmates, will all go towards determining whether he will attain the freedom he is so close to. But if someone else is pulling all the strings, sometimes the only option left to us is take back control anyway we can get it. Just as the title says – If I want to whistle, I whistle.

The performances in this film are stunning. Indeed there is Daniel Mitulescu, the 18 year old drama student (who is now 19 as he assertively pointed out during the post film talk!) who has an extraordinary on screen presence given his limited experience (oh and his off screen presence is pretty good too!). There are also incredibly convincing performances from his fellow inmates, many of whom are apparently real inmates from a juvenile penitentiary and who were auditioned during acting workshops facilitated by the director at the prison where the story was filmed. Apparently Romanian film is experiencing somewhat of a new wave of international success, and if this film is representative, then it’s easy to understand why.

‘If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle’ is a must-see film. Deservedly so, it has already won two major awards at the recent Berlin International Film Festival. Of all the Official Competition films I’ve seen so far, this one’s got my vote – or should I say this one’s got my wolf whistle.