.jeri.

Right now I'm in the middle of watching a bunch of Kieslowski films, and in the past year, I've had my first exposure to the director Wadja, and also watched The Death of Mr. Lazarescu. So, I'd say that throughout the year, I've probably watched about 20 Romanian movies. I think I'm starting to get a feel for this country, its history, and how its history affects its people.

Speaking of which, that's exactly what 12:08 East of Bucharest is about--the way Romanians view their own history. In this movie, it's the 16 year anniversary of the revolution in Romania. A television host decides to put together a call-in panel show to discuss whether there really was a revolution in his small town. What it comes down to for the members of this panel is whether there were protesters in the town square before or after 12:08, which is when Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu left the country.

The movie begins by introducing us to the panel members. One is a teacher who claims to have been in the town square before 12:08. As the show begins to accept callers, the teacher's story is contested, and the television host soon discovers that he is sitting next to what one might call a town drunk. The other panel member is a friendly elderly man, who turns out to be quite comical once the camera starts rolling. He's so awkward on live television, and when he finally gets over it, he's incredibly long-winded.

While it can feel a bit slow at times, and one would think the subject matter would be serious, this movie has plenty of laughs. But what it's getting at is somewhat serious as well. Looking at the past and present, it questions Romanians on the issue of the revolution, asking whether or not there technically was one, as well as if there truly was one (whether it significantly changed their way of life). It creates plenty of food for thought without being offensive and with plenty of humorous moments.

I'll admit that it's a little hard to follow this movie if one isn't semi-acquainted with Romanian history or cultural context. The significance of certain scenes is sometimes difficult to decipher, and I wasn't familiar with the names of some of the people and places they discuss. But, as it goes, one can get the hang of things, as I did, and I did enjoy it.