Libertate + Q&A | Making Waves

New York Premiere

The rallying cry that shook Romania in 1989 becomes a chilling backdrop to the true events depicted in this hyper-kinetic historical drama. As protests against the oppressive Ceausescu regime engulf the country, a local police station in the city of Sibiu becomes a chaotic battleground. A violent assault erupts into a bloody clash between soldiers, police, civilians yearning for freedom, and the dreaded Securitate secret police. Each side fights to control the narrative, manipulating information and stoking confusion amidst the turmoil. Caught in the crossfire, a group of men attempting to escape the siege are captured by the army and thrown in an empty swimming pool holding hundreds of other prisoners accused of terrorism. Revisiting this hidden chapter three decades later, it’s a cynical reminder of the challenging foundation upon which Romanian democracy was born.

Q&A with producer Oana Bujgoi Giurgiu following both screenings.