Beyond the Hills (2012)

Drama

Director: Cristian Mungiu
Writers: Cristian Mungiu, Tatiana Niculescu-Bran
Starring: Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur, Valeriu Andriuta, Dana Tapalaga

Two best friends who grew up together in an orphanage are emotionally reunited after years apart. Voichita has taken religious orders while Alina wants them to both relocate to a new life of freedom in Germany. While staying together in Voichita's remote and austere nunnery their relationship and sexuality begin to tear apart the tight-knit fabric of the sect, resulting in a terrifying act that would send a shockwave through the church.

This powerful, enigmatic and astonishingly accomplished new film from Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days, Graduation) was awarded both the Best Actress and Best Screenplay awards at Cannes 2012 for its stunning depiction of a real-life tragedy that unfolded in a small religious community in Romania.

Plot summary from IMDb: 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...

Awards: 7 wins & 16 nominations.
Runtime: 152 min
Not R