Beyond the Hills

Cristian Mungiu directs this engrossing companion piece to his Cannes-winning 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, about the test of closeness between two friends divided by the righteous path of God.

Alina and Voichita have been friends since their orphanage days, and they have been lovers since they became sexually mature. But despite their oath of mutual fidelity, Alina, who could not bear poverty any more, emigrated to Germany where she became a barmaid. Now she just could not take the estrangement from Voichita and today she is back to Romania with a view to taking Voichita along with her to Germany. The only trouble is that in the meantime her girlfriend has betrayed her in falling in love with… God! Voichita indeed now lives in a convent where she plans to make vows. The priest agrees, if somewhat reluctantly, to accommodate Alina before their (hypothetical) departure. He sees all too well that not only is the young woman materialistic but hostile and troublesome as well.

“Enthralling, mysterious and intimately upsetting.” ~The Guardian