The Way I Spent the End of the World by Cătălin Mitulescu Romania - 2005 - 106 min STUDENT SHEET

> The Way I Spent the End of the World is part of a collection of European films: the CinEd collection, a film education programme for young people.

> This student sheet allows me to rediscover the film, to go through it in words and images, to know more about where the characters live and their time, to create and invent, to go further by discovering other works: films, books, music, photographs, paintings...

By participating in CinEd, I share the discovery of films with young people from other countries, all over Europe!

A The film B In Europe and elsewhere C The film and me D To go further The Way I Spent the End of the World A The film (11) (1) (5) (3) (9) (7) 2 /8 1 Seen inthefilm Seen (12) (10) (8) (2) (4) (6)

CinEd — Student sheet The Way I Spent the End of the World expelled from school. she decidesnotto tell onhim,sheis Eva choosesto protect Alex andsince (4) officer. Securitate (Communist Secret Police) with Alex a.k.a. Vomică, thesonofa student andsheisgoingsteady Eva high-school isahardworking (2) for hisact. However, henever takesresponsibility breaks asculpture ofCeaușescu. Eva, AlexWhile courting accidently (3) dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. Ceaușescu. Nicolae dictator comes up withaplanto overthrow the parents seem,at times, miserable sohe notices that his older sister, Eva, and his of Bucharest inCommunist He Romania. Lalalilu lives withhisfamilyintheoutskirts (1) together by crossing theDanube. dissidents. The two decideto elope whose parents are rumored to be school, where Andrei, shebefriends She is, instead, transferred to atrade (5) A A

The film Eva: Andrei: Eva: Eva: Maria: Eva: Grigore: Eva: Grigore: The film

No, Ididn’t. And besidesthat, what?   Everything isalready Everything thought through. I’m coming withyou. How about it? We’re classmates. Why?

We’ll have to thinkaboutit. And besidesthat? You promised meyou’ll gobackto  Yugoslavia. We’ll arrive to Italy. We’ll govia Alright, tell me… What’s goingon Alex. Andrei? with that boy from across thestreet, waiting at home. arewhich his friends impatiently supposed to deliver aspeech,during of Bucharest where theleader is a grand assemblyinthecenter is successful. Heisallowed to attend Lalalilu’s planto getnearCeaușescu (9) escape. home, unlikeAndrei, who managesto stops halfway through andreturns But Eva hassecond thoughts, soshe (8) run offonenight by train. escape, Andrei and Eva eventually in order to prepare for theirdangerous After having trained theentire summer (7) try to convincetry thegirl to getbackin outcomes andthey ofthis friendship concerned aboutthepossible Eva andLalalilu’s parents are (6) touch withAlex. 3 /8 1 2 Seen inthefilm Seen Communist regime. neighbors celebrate theendof and theentire familyaswell astheir The isindeedoverthrown dictator (12) of the 1989 Romanian Revolution.of the1989Romanian thebeginning event marking important by Ceaușescu andtheupheaval isan witnessing the last speech delivered about theevents. they’re fact, all In The adults are also impatient (11) at Ceaușescu. having thrown a stone with a slingshot the square isaconsequence ofLali upheaval whichthey seehappeningin consider that the on andthetwo kids TV They’re ableto catch aglimpseofhim (10) Lalalilu:  Eva: Lalalilu:  Heard inthefilm

What didyou justsay, We could runaway init! We’re abig making Danube! tosubmarine cross the Lali?

CinEd — Student sheet The Way I Spent the End of the World A in othercountries? How doyou say B monde Comment j'aifêté lafindu France: mundo Como passeiofimdo Portugal: mundo Cómo celebré elfindel Spain: (Cătălin Mitulescu, Interview (Cătălin Interview Mitulescu, were days when we didn’t eat much.Butthat didn’t stop usfrom beinghappy. whodidn’t inanautomobile factory working makemuchmoney.father was anelectrician Therefore, there the denunciations. They madeuskeepsilence andbedistrustfulofourneighborseveryone. My at heart. revolutionary We aspired to freedom. parents, My ontheotherhand, lived infear ofthe militia,of Ceauşescu’s aboutNicolae I wasin1972.grew born upthinking dictatorship. brother My andIwere throughjourney memory. drew my inspiration from my aboutyouth, memories aboutthelife ofmy generation. It’s abitofnostalgic 1989Iwas 17years-old, thesameageasEvaIn inthefilm. for When thescript writing thisfirstfeature, I the world The way Ispent theendof United Kingdom: World film Cătălin thedirector ofthe Mitulescu, him in the process of making the film. him in the process the film. of making adolescence andhow thishasinspired influencedRomania hischildhoodand experience of living in Communist The Way ISpent theEndof World The film The Way ISpent theEndof , explains here how his personal , explains here how hispersonal elsewhere EuropeIn and Le Figaro , August 30 mondo Como hofesteggiato lafinedel Italy: th , 2006). , 2006).

4 /8 1 3 lumii lumii Cum mi-ampetrecut sfârșitul Romania: Kaip aš sutikau pasauliopabaigą ašsutikau Kaip Lithuania: Jak jsemstrávil konec světa Czech Republic: Said aboutthefilm Said A film,several titles Kuinka vietinmaailmanlopun Kuinka Finland: на света света на посрещнах края Как Bulgaria:

CinEd — Student sheet The Way I Spent the End of the World B C order to separate the Federal Republic Republic in Federal the Germany Berlin separate the to of nowadays in order began construction Wall the say 1961 half. in In could cut or was One world Albania the Yugoslavia. Bulgaria, that Germany), former Poland, (East the Hungary, Romania, Germany countries Republic, in years rule 50 Czech nowadays as hand, almost communist such for other under and way the life US the on of the and, as opened one, it dividing such the War, to communist Cold countries led the this of capitalist the hand, beginning one bloc. formed the that Central Eastern On in Europe states communist Republics) of Eastern and Socialist influence group a War USSR’s Soviet over the of World of of rise (Union the was consequences II the of 1989 One context: Historical own. Iimagine what Andrei might write about. the rulesare differentknown sofar, thanwhat hehas but at the sametime, hehas to manageonhis oppressive regime. It’s thefirsttimehegetschance to getaglimpseof Western societieswhere We keepinmindthat heisateenager ontherun,alone, andthat hehasjustillegallyescaped from an about histhoughts andfeelings ina diary. Let’s imagine Andrei that after crosses the Danube and travels to other countries hewere to write thefilm at photosIn we see EvaAndrei looking sendsherfrom abroad. Why doesEva chooseto return homeinstead ofelopingalltheway with Andrei?

If Icould chooseanothertitleforIf thefilm elsewhere EuropeIn and and me The film the communist regime, personified personified under life regime, born whole their been communist lived had the had who who people and and many For Russia. dissolved 1991 in nowadays and officially years well was became as USSR following political the the countries of in other Republic in change continued This Czech Poland, regime Romania. rule Bulgaria, Germany, and of East communist in wave Hungary, the a of end when against emerged the year as the is revolutions film referenced the world year of the the title the 1989, in Wall Therefore, Berlin 1989 the in of 1990. in This removed began demolition (GDR). the officially German and was the Republic from frontier (FRG) Democratic Germany of The Way ISpent theEndof World, 5 /8 2 1 I learn andIimagineI learn The filmanditsera end of the world as they knew it. it. the knew they equaled as Lalalilu, world regime and the of this Eva end by overthrowing film the in itwould be… Film posters

CinEd — Student sheet The Way I Spent the End of the World etc.) from video clips, commercials, images from other films canbepaintings, comics, photos,ones? (These images World thesefilmstillsfromDo T my own that familyduring era. on themandmakemy own collage illustrating thelife of or ifIcantakephotos ofthem/scan/makedrawings based from thelate 80sorfrom 1989,iftheycanlend themto me Imakemy own poster ofthefilm. Italkto my familyandIaskthemiftheyhave any photos Iputimagesininteraction withoneanother.

Dear Cătălin… C

I write a letter to the director of the film, Cătălin Mitulescu, to let him know what I thought about his film: make me think about other images I know? makemethinkaboutotherimagesIknow? Which

what touched me his choices. what I didn’t like what I understood or what I didn’t understand about and me The film he Way ISpent theEndof cined.eu/en/youngsters-space Young Space Spectator from the film? from thefilm? takesplaces,(late 80s)inwhichtheaction besideswhat I’ve discovered his/her life 1989,by lookedlikedafter creating my own follow-up story. for that meandimaginechoose thecharacter was how themostimportant in1989? country the late 80s. happenordidanything Didanything changeinmy important my to findouthow familyortotheirlife ateacher andItry lookedlikein After the1989Revolution, talkto allthesethingschangedinRomania…I offoreign theimporting was goodsofanybackinthe80s. strict kind abroad, orthelimitation ofgoodsavailable asaresult onthemarket, ofhow censorship of music considered to besubversive, difficulties in traveling citizens andmembersoftheSecuritate(Communist Secret Police), inschool, differencespatriotic activities insocialstatus between ordinary everyday life to peoplesuchasthenecessity engagein oftheRomanian

orabouttheera What (Romania) would aboutthecountry Iliketo know In the film we see certain aspects of the political regime reflected in the ofthepolitical regime aspects inthe thefilm reflected In we see certain Basedonwhat Ifound outfrom thefilmandfrom my family/teacher,I 6 /8 uploading themonthewebsite ifIfeel likeit. film stillsandI canshare themwith others by painting, photography) inspired by oneorseveral - Icanalsoproduce my own images(drawing, visualpoem. mywhich Idescribe story/ photos I’ve chosenandIwrite afew sentences in - Imakemy own asequence ofimages from the reality vs. imagination, life inCommunism. relationship andlight, between siblings, darkness adults andchildren, coming-of-age,love, friendship, suggest oneorseveral ofthefollowing themes: imageswhich me/ shockedme. Icanalsoselect favorite images/thosethat struckme/moved Space). Spectator In the In Young Space, Spectator Ichoosemy Ichooseimagesfrom thefilm(using Young 1 images Choosing andcreating I learn andIimagineI learn

CinEd — Student sheet The Way I Spent the End of the World D If Iliked If of teenagers andtheirparents. share the desire to explore views the conflicting onlife significantly different reasonsandoutcomes, thefilms World. and herparents from don’t approve of his choice of friends, not unlike Eva them, he goes missing for two days and his parents difficult relationship withhisparents. He rebelsagainst The ofthisfilm,12-year maincharacter Rado, old hasa ( by Dragomir Sholev These characters: under social-politicalcircumstances withwhichnoneofthemfullyresonate. the two are personalities living andwell-defined both young girls with powerful Lalalilu; asateenager, however, sheresembles, up to a point, Eva, seeinghow child, resemblance sheisbothprecocious to acertain andoutspoken,bearing theIslamicrevolution.up to adultyears andafter herearly during in Iran As a based onanautobiographical graphic novel. herchildhood The filmdepicts Satrapi(Marjane -2007) film

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too, hasto live withtheconsequences ofbeinganoutcast. stand by herbeliefs despite social-politicalconstraints and, therefore, she, gets herinto trouble serious withthelocalpolice. LikeEva, Farah chosesto dream ofbecoming asinger. Hermusic conveys apoliticalmessagewhich against hermother’s wishto and, become adoctor instead, fights for her Tunisia, where Farah istheleadteenage singerofarock band. Sherebels summer of2010,afew months before in theJasmineRevolution started played by first-time Baya actress Medhaffer. action takesplace inthe The

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CinEd — Student sheet The Way I Spent the End of the World The authorofthisstudent sheetisAndreea Mihalcea. D This music: This film: This book: political anti-establishment statement.political anti-establishment begun to beseenasapowerful rock star. theyears, Over thealbum and alienation asaworld-renowned England to hisself-imposedisolation his boyhood days inpost-World-War II protagonist,fictional Pink Floyd, from The album traces the life of the in thealbum Floyd progressive rock bandPink Hey you further To go , by the English , by theEnglish The Wall ordinary people. ordinary surrealand often events oftheeveryday life from of theperspective comic, legendswhichdepict bizarre, basedon6urban Romania, The filmisadark comedy, setinthelastdecadesof Communist Hours Höfer, Mărculescu, Constantin Popescu) Răzvan and Comrades, Life isBeautiful! of thepopulation. officers Securitate ofthe Secret Romanian (Communist Police) andthe rest film, too, thedifferences underlines ofsocialstatus between thefamiliesof the World the final years of depicts Romania in Communist degree, similarities to howa certain Mitulescu one can find Cătălin certain and it was forbidden in the countries from the Eastern Bloc until 1989. Up to ofStalinist socialismandoftotalitarian propaganda to bea satirical allegory slowlyutopic becomes society anoppressive one. The bookwas intended However, astimegoesby andcorrupt pigstakeover theleadership, their decide to remodel between animals. ofegalitarianism basedonprinciples Mr. Jones-theowner theylive ofthefarm in-andlater they on,thesociety therebellion thebeginning, of agroup depicts In of animalsagainst Orwell (1945), anovel written by George Orwell (1979)

Animal Farm Animal Farm Tales from Age theGolden (2009, directed by Mungiu). Cristian . Justliketheanimals’ idealsofsocialjustice into turn injustice, the 8 /8 generation. 60s, itbecame a symbolofliberation for the rock blues singers. Later therevolutionary on,during lack ofbelonging for those who firstusedit, namely referred to alackofmaterial possessionsanda All Time” Initially, chart. thephrase “rolling stone” number onesongintheir “500 Greatest of Songs - was listed by Stone theRolling magazineasthe released onthealbum by Dylan Bob StoneLike aRolling (2009,directed by IoanaUricaru, Hanno , an omnibus Romanian film in 2 parts: filmin2parts: an omnibusRomanian , Highway 61Revisited The Way I Spent theEnd of Love after (1965) (1965)

CinEd — Student sheet