Director: Cristi Piu

Englisht title: The death of mr. Lazarecu
Original title: Moartea domnului Lazarescu

2005/Romania/  150’/ Fiction/ Colour

Mr. Lazarescu (Ion Fiscuteanu) is not feeling well. He has a bad headache and has been vomiting. He feels that it is something more serious than the pain caused by his ulcer and the hangovers caused by his regular excessive drinking. He calls for an ambulance, and after convincing the skeptical dispatcher that he is not simply drunk, he begins the long wait for help to arrive.

Hailing from Bucharest, Cristi Puiu originally studied painting at the Superior School of Visual Arts of Geneva before settling on film studies. Puiu debuted as a director in 2001 with his award winning Stuff and Dough, which he followed up with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu. The latter film received the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes. The director has been credited in some circles as starting the Romanian New Wave.