Child’s Pose
Winner of the Golden Bear at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, Child’s Pose is a touching film about how we can suffocate our children with maternal love, and on the marks that parents leave on their offspring’s personalities.
Written and directed by Calin Peter Netzer, the film is also a portrayal of contemporary high-class Romania, and the low-level corruption and trading of influence within the core social institutions. The film stars Luminita Gheorghiu (The Death of Mr Lazarescu), Bogdan Dumitrache (Traffic), Ilinca Goia and Natasa Raab (Amen).
Cornelia (Luminita Gheorghiu) is 60 and fundamentally unhappy: her son, Barbu (Bogdan Dumitrache), 34, fights with all his might to become independent. He has moved out, has his own car, has a girlfriend who obviously doesn't meet Cornelia's standards and - most upsettingly - he avoids his loving mother as much as possible.
When Cornelia finds out that Barbu was involved in a tragic accident, her motherly instincts take over and she uses all her skills, well-connected friends and money to save Barbu from jail. Then she expects him to once again become the dependent child he was before.
This doesn't seem to be a very difficult task, given the state of shock Barbu is in. But it is a thin line between motherly love and self-serving manipulation. Will she be able to let go and unlock him from his child’s pose...?
Born in Romania in 1975, Calin Peter Netzer attended the National Theatre and Film University in Bucharest. His short and feature debuts, both entitled Maria (1997 & 2003) were screened and given awards in prestigious festivals around the world, including the Grand Jurzy Prize and Silver Leopards for the two leading actors at the Locarno International Film Festival 2003.
His next feature, Medal of Honour (2009) was selected by more than 30 festivals, and was awarded the Silver Alexander and four other prizes at the Thessaloniki IFF 2009. The film also won two GOPO awards (Romanian equivalent of Academy Awards) for Best Leading Actor and Best Script. Child’s Pose is Netzer’s third feature film.
Child’s Pose will be released by STUDIOCANAL in cinemas on 1 Nov