It’s been too long since we’ve seen Cristian Mungiu‘s talent in theaters. His brilliant, stark Romanian drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days won the Palme d’Or at 2007 Cannes Film Festival and then landed stateside earlier the next year. Fast forward five years, and we’ll likely see a repeat distribution schedule for his follow-up.
Titled Beyond the Hills, Sundance Selects has already picked up the drama starring Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur, Dana Tapalaga and Catalina Harabagiu. We’ve got the first stills today from Flix (via The Playlist) and one can check them out below along with a synopsis.
“Alina has just been reunited with Voichita in an isolated convent in Romania after spending several years in Germany. The two young women have supported and loved each other since meeting as children in an orphanage. Alina wants Voichita to leave and return with her to Germany, but Voichita has found refuge in faith and a family in the nuns and their priest, and refuses. Alina cannot understand her friend’s choice. In her attempt to win back Voichita’s affection, she challenges the priest. She is taken to the hospital and the people of the monastery start to suspect she is possessed. Soon they believe they must perform an exorcism, but the result is not what they had hoped.”
Expect Beyond the Hills to premiere at Cannes Film Festival 2012.