directed by Cristian Nemescu, black comedy, 155 min, fr subtitles
with Armand Assante, Răzvan Vasilescu, Jamie Elman
US Marine Capt. Jones is assigned to escort a train carrying NATO equipment heading for Yugoslavia during the war in Kosovo. His mission is held back by Doiaru, apparently a very thorough station master in a God forsaken village, who halts the train over a paperwork technicality. The community makes ridiculous efforts to welcome the Americans, intending to profit from their unexpected presence. The troops join the game - and Doiaru's own daughter has a brief affair with Sgt. McLaren. Tired of waiting to get help from higher up, Capt. Jones decides to take matters into his own hands. As he gets more and more involved with the locals, he stirs old arguments and reveals that the real reason Doiaru stopped his train is a very personal one. At the end of five intense days, the train resumes its journey, leaving behind broken hearts, broken dreams and a civil war.
Cristian Nemescu was killed in a car crash in Bucharest that also killed Romanian-born sound engineer Andrei Toncu. Nemescu and Toncu were travelling in a taxi that was struck by a car that ran a red light. His last movie California Dreamin' (Nesfârșit) (2007) was in post-production, when the accident happened. It was later awarded the Un Certain Regard Awards at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Awards:
Festival de Cannes 2007 (Un Certain Regard)
Molodist International Film Festival, Ukraine 2007 (Special Prize of the International Jury, Special Prize of the FIPIRESCI Jury)
Brussels European Film Festival 2007 (Iris award for Best Film, Public prize, Canvas special prize)