If we had to give into the tradition of selecting the best movie of the year, I would undoubtedly select "Aferim!" for 2015. What strikes first is the quality of the image, an elaborate black and white with subtle tones of grey, very sharp texture and dramatic grades of shadow and light. This creates an aesthetical contrast with the grim atmosphere and living conditions depicted.
It is the story of a manhunt in 19th century Romania, where a policeman (actually a mercenary hired by the boyar, a local noble) and his son chase a Gypsy to bring him back to the boyar. (Note: I will use the term "Gypsy" and not "Roma" to avoid confusion.)
One of the strengths of the movie is its successful combination of genres and styles.
In summary, "Aferim!" is compelling, ironical, sometimes humorous and mostly harsh (be warned: the end is extremely violent). The movie efficiently mixes tones: we are sometimes amused, sometimes appalled by characters and situations. Photography and acting are especially impressive. Pace is fully mastered: not too slow to be intriguing, not too fast to be realistic and provide breathing space. Aferim to all the artists who gave us this grand film.
It is the story of a manhunt in 19th century Romania, where a policeman (actually a mercenary hired by the boyar, a local noble) and his son chase a Gypsy to bring him back to the boyar. (Note: I will use the term "Gypsy" and not "Roma" to avoid confusion.)
One of the strengths of the movie is its successful combination of genres and styles.
- HISTORICAL. "Aferim!" very realistically depicts the life of the region at that time and notably Gypsy slavery which lasted until mid-19th century (a very rare topic in cinema). There is a strong historical research behind the movie. The structure of society is extremely pyramidal, with the boyar at the top, then his henchmen, then poor peasants, and at the bottom Gipsies. Women always are a level lower than men (wife, daughter, prostitute). There is no law: the boyar is the law, he decides what happens on his territory and hires mercenaries to have it mercilessly applied. We understand this happens on all territories. It is a reign of terror: if the policeman fails he will be severely punished. This is why we cannot fully blame the latter for what he is doing: he is brutal, but he is constrained by a system and his ignorance. Ironically, the title "Aferim" (highlighted by an exclamation mark) means "Bravo" in Ottoman Turkish, but we wonder what one could say bravo about in that society (characters use this word in the movie, since the region was for a long time part of the Ottoman empire). Important side note: it is not a movie bashing Romanian history since it has universal reach; the same barbarity happened elsewhere at different periods, including today.
- MORAL. The movie addresses many topics, the main ones being oppression and intolerance. There is widespread racism (against Gipsies mostly), anti-Semitism and xenophobia notably against Turks. Interestingly, this hatred is most virulently expressed by a priest (pope in Orthodox religion), in contradiction with the tolerant message of Christ: it shows how widespread these feelings were at the time. The policeman is also strongly prejudiced against these communities, and throws in some misogyny and homophobia for good measure; nevertheless he is persuaded to be on the right side of the law and ethics. Ironically, the Gypsy he is chasing, who for him represents evil, turns out to be friendly, more instructed and moral than he is. Another important topic is justice: at the beginning of the story we think the Gypsy did something terrible to justify such a chase, but it is only adultery; at the end, the punishment is completely disproportionate. We also witness poverty, corruption (the policeman searches for bribes and bribes a colleague), superstition mixed with religious beliefs, education, sexuality, etc. As the director highlighted, many of these themes refer to the present world.
- WESTERN. The director admits being inspired by old Westerns which partly explains the choice of black and white film: a policeman on a horse, a manhunt, suspense, the theme of good vs evil which actually turns out to be complex, different encounters on the road. It also is an initiation story, as some Westerns are: the son is being trained by his father to become a man, according to his beliefs.
- PICARESQUE. The movie resurrects the tradition of picaresque novels: main character as anti-hero, succession of small and big adventures, meeting of varied and strong characters, realism, satire, pessimism, pseudo-philosophical speeches, etc. However, it goes further down the road of crudity and cruelty.
- FANTASY. The movie sometimes drifts to unreal scenes, for instance when the policeman and his son in a dark forest are almost run over by a mysterious carriage going full speed. Or when they discover bodies following a massacre they don't understand. Encounters feel at the same time real and dreamlike: a lonely priest, an illegal fisherman, a wealthy traveller, etc. This reinforces the absurdity and arbitrariness of the world depicted. One of the most successful scenes is the frenetic party at the inn, where alcohol brings all men and women together. In this noisy climax the characters show a more human side, although a simple, vulgar one. We feel people could be happy if oppression were not dominant. But the following morning life goes on as before.
In summary, "Aferim!" is compelling, ironical, sometimes humorous and mostly harsh (be warned: the end is extremely violent). The movie efficiently mixes tones: we are sometimes amused, sometimes appalled by characters and situations. Photography and acting are especially impressive. Pace is fully mastered: not too slow to be intriguing, not too fast to be realistic and provide breathing space. Aferim to all the artists who gave us this grand film.