Kontinental '25

Radu Jude follows up his epics Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World and Dracula with this small-scale story about a Transylvanian bailiff who must oversee the eviction of an elderly homeless man in the city of Cluj. The experience plunges her into an existential crisis, prompting her to question her place in society. Much of the movie follows the bailiff, Orsolya (Eszter Tompa), explaining what happened to various people and getting into wideranging conversations with them. Each of these interactions leads to an unexpected outcome and a modicum of hilarity.

The picture is intentionally repetitive, which makes it seem longer than it actually is. It's also shot in an intentionally amateurish way on an iPhone that frequently adjusts focus, annoyingly reminding us of the level of care that went into these proceedings. However, the fact that the picture is often ugly and monotonous is apt. This is a movie, like Jude's previous films, about the shitty results of unchecked capitalism and unthinking nationalism. It's a not-all-that-dirty little morality play, and an effective one.