By 
VIKTORIA ****
There’s a specific characteristic in Romanian filmmaking which is the humane and compassionated pace the stories are structured. It seems like a minimalistic trend among filmmakers, as they depict and fully absorb a situation, confirming its engagement to the storytelling- every detail consists and integrates the story as an essential element. In her directorial debut, Maya Vitkova follows the praised aesthetic of her renowned comrades, blending fantasy and magic surrealism to her political statement. Throughout the narrative, the young title-character Viktoria constantly sees herself in the middle of an infinite road trying to get somewhere she doesn’t know and trying to understand the mysteries of life. She became notorious at her first cry, when she was born with no belly button causing awe to the nation and the authorities; she’s then celebrated as a national treasure, offered many privileges, also because she was born on the day Socialism started its regime in Bulgaria. Based on real facts, director Vitkova explores her innocence and the expectations around her, as she participates in the historic journey as a witness of the political transformations and social revolutions of her nation. She was born to rebel parents during Communism, grew through Socialism and experienced the freshness of Democracy; while exposing an important period in history, spanning from 1979 to now-a-days, Vitkova explores a different perspective on feminine persona, with the strangely cold relationship between three women: Viktoria’s mother is incapable of demonstrating any signs of love or care, the same way she feels unwanted by her silent mother; her behavior is inexplicable, revealed since she learned of her pregnancy as she tried many forms to avoid it. As a matter of fact, her jealousy is responsible for creating a bizarre horror-like anxiety, with bloodbaths, claustrophobic angles and images of her womb, as well as the uncertainty of her reactions when she’s unable to breast-feed baby Viktoria. Brilliantly structured as a political surrealistic thriller, director Vitkova proves incredible control of the material with accuracy, astonishing visual language and cheerful sensibility. (Opens Friday at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center NYC)
L’ATTESA ***
Oscar Winner actress Juliette Binoche became an adjective- an assured guarantee of a fine performance. In this Italian-French co-production first-time director Piero Messina gives her complete access to exercise the best of her deepen emotions. She gives a knockout performance as a wealthy mother mourning the sudden death of her young son. Coping with her pain, she’s challenged by circumstances when her son’s girlfriend arrives unaware of the tragedy. Shaken by the enthusiastic way the girl longs to see her lover, she’s unable to explain the facts and decides to take advantage to learn of her feelings in a form of keeping him alive. The drama is punctuated by the twists provided by the game of hiding the truth, evoking an ambiguous sensuality and a sexual expectation, mostly expressed through the technique of adding a parallel narrative with messages left by the girl on his cell phone. Superbly performed and emotionally vibrant, it’s a powerful directorial debut centered on the devastating emotions of its women. (Opens Friday at Landmark Sunshine NYC)
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