Ana, mon amour

Toma and Ana meet at university. A love affair begins that is full of hopes and dreams and suffused by the feeling that each needs the other in equal measure. Ana has a complicated family background and suffers from severe panic attacks. Middle-class Toma is as shocked as he is fascinated by the deep well of despair he encounters in his beloved. Toma gives Ana his complete support and takes her to see a string of doctors. At the same time the two begin to isolate themselves from their families and friends. Ana’s weakness appears to make Toma stronger. When she falls pregnant, Ana embarks on a therapy based on analytical psychoanalysis from which she emerges a stronger person. But then Toma’s world begins to topple ... Călin Peter Netzer’s film blends romantic drama with a study of mental illness and how it is overcome. Unfolding like a complex puzzle structured around Toma’s psychoanalytical sessions, the narrative plunges into the past in a series of sustained flashbacks. Scenes from a complex marriage that reveal numerous connections to the repressed depths and taboos of Romanian society.
by Călin Peter Netzer
with Mircea Postelnicu, Diana Cavallioti, Carmen Tănase, Vasile Muraru, Tania Popa, Igor Caras Romanov, Adrian Titieni, Vlad Ivanov, Ioana Florea, Ionuț Caras
Romania / Germany / France 2016 Romanian, Russian 127’ Colour

With

  • Mircea Postelnicu (Toma)
  • Diana Cavallioti (Ana)
  • Carmen Tănase (Toma's mother)
  • Vasile Muraru (Toma's father)
  • Tania Popa (Ana's mother)
  • Igor Caras Romanov (Igor)
  • Adrian Titieni (Psychoanalyst)
  • Vlad Ivanov (Priest Adrian)
  • Ioana Florea (Irina)
  • Ionuț Caras (Bogdan)

Crew

Director Călin Peter Netzer
Screenplay Călin Peter Netzer, Cezar Paul Bădescu, Iulia Lumânare
Cinematography Andrei Butică
Editing Dana Bunescu
Sound Design Dana Bunescu
Sound André Rigaut
Production Design Mihaela Poenaru
Costumes Augustina Stanciu
Make-Up Christina Paul
Assistant Director Ovidiu Păunescu
Casting Iulia Lumânare
Production Manager Adrian Moroca
Producers Călin Peter Netzer, Oana Iancu
Executive Producer Oana Iancu
Co-Producers Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, Sophie Dulac, Michel Zana
Co-Production augenschein Filmproduktion Köln
Sophie Dulac Productions Paris

Produced by

Parada Film

Călin Peter Netzer

Born in Petroșani, Romania in 1975, his family emigrated to Germany in 1983 and he grew up there. After finishing school he returned to Romania and from 1994 to 1999 studied film directing in Bucharest. After realising a series of short films, he made his feature film debut in 2003 with Maria. His family drama Poziția Copilului (Child's Pose) won the Golden Bear at the 63rd Berlinale in 2013.

Filmography (selection)

1994 Mingea de cârpă (Rag Ball); short film 1995 Ochi uscați (Dry Eyes); short film · Advertising Spot 1996 Hot Line; short film 1997 Maria; short film 1998 Zăpada mieilor (The Snow of the Lambs); short film 2003 Maria 2009 Medalia de onoare (Ehrenmedaille) 2012 Poziţia Copilului (Child’s Pose) 2016 Ana, mon amour

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2017