Underplayed Gems

Forest of the Hanged (1965)

Forest of the Hanged poster
Original title
Pădurea spânzuraţilor
Directed by
Liviu Ciulei
Genre
drama, history, war, romance
Country
Romania
Runtime
2h 38m
Rated
15
Rating
6.6 of 10 from 26 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A Romanian officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War 1 struggles with the horrors of his duty. He is torn between following orders and listening to his own sense of humanity.

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What happens

Forest of the Hanged (Romanian: Pădurea Spânzuraților) is a 1965 Romanian drama film directed by Liviu Ciulei. It is based on the eponymous novel by Liviu Rebreanu. However, it deviates significantly from the original work, as it was produced under the supervision of the Romanian Workers Party. Forest of the Hanged became the first Romanian film to achieve wide international recognition. Ciulei, who also plays the role of Captain Otto Klapka, won the award for Best Director at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival. The film tells the story of Lieutenant Apostol Bologa (Victor Rebengiuc), a Romanian serving in the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War 1. Slowly, the terror of his routine and situation forces him to choose between his military duty or greater feelings of humanity. The film was produced by Studioul Cinematographic București and was highly praised both internationally and domestically. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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