Filantropica
Encyclopedia
Filantropica is a 2002 Romania
n dark comedy film directed by Nae Caranfil
.
The high school principal asks him to deal with a problem-student, Robert. Ovidiu has Robert call one of his parents for talks, but the boy sends his sister, Diana, a gorgeous teenager, instead. Ovidiu is smitten. He convinces Diana to go on a date with him, but what he thinks will be a quiet evening over coffee turns into a bar-hopping binge that leaves him nearly broke.
One night, he meets a shabby-looking drunk beggar who offers to recite poems in exchange for vodka. The two start talking and Ovidiu learns that the guy makes two or three times more money than him in a month out of this. He asks for an explanation and the beggar refers him to the Filantropica Foundation.
Located in a desolate basement, the Filantropica Foundation is actually the lair of Bucharest's beggars' leader, Pavel Puiuţ. A former convict, he realized that begging leads nowhere "unless there is a touching story behind the hand that begs", so he created an organized network of beggars, each with an invented, tear-jerking, background story that yields millions. Puiuţ listens to Ovidiu's story and thinks he is perfect for his new "project".
He pairs Ovidiu with Miruna, his secretary, and sends them to high-profile restaurants, where, in collusion with a waiter, they pose as a couple of poor teachers celebrating their wedding anniversary who find, at the end of their dinner, that they don't have enough money to cover the check; Ovidiu is responsible with making a scene that would struck a chord with one of the rich people present, who would pick up their check out of pity; later, out in the back, Ovidiu, Miruna and the waiter would split the money.
After several such performances, Ovidiu makes enough money to impress the material Diana. He rents a roadster, takes her to lakeshore clubs, his sole purpose being sleeping with her. The reluctant Puiuţ even gives him access to the foundation's "show-house" (a day-rental house meant to impress third-parties), but a poorly-timed customer call gives Ovidiu's cover away and an angry Diana leaves him.
Meanwhile, Miruna falls for her partner in crime and is angry that he keeps "bitching" about that "bimbo", instead of going for a "real woman". She manages to get him into her bed and Ovidiu is surprised to find out she is a former prostitute.
The scam goes terribly wrong when Ovidiu and Miruna go to a karaoke
bar, where their scene has no effect and the waiter, who is not in on it, takes Ovidiu to the back and beats him. Puiuţ then unveils the grand purpose of his "project": he sets the unsuspecting Ovidiu to appear with Miruna "in character" on a popular TV night show and tell the karaoke bar beating story; he then calls, pretends of being revolted and announces that his foundation has opened an account for people who want to offer money for the "poor teachers".
Meanwhile, in school, Ovidiu is visited by two thugs who ask him about Robert, who owes $3,000 to "a person" and who only has two days to make good. Ovidiu withdraws the amount from the foundation's account, calls Diana and gives her the money for her brother. She pretends being impressed and teases Ovidiu by telling him to visit her later that night. Naturally, she deceives him once more, by leaving the city in the afternoon. To top it off, Ovidiu finds Robert in a park, turned into a beggar, who tells him that "Diana" was not his sister, just some "chick".
Now $3,000 short, Ovidiu goes home to find the media and Puiuţ claiming he has just won the big prize in the lottery. It is again one of Puiuţ's scams, who reminds Ovidiu he "has him" because of the $3,000. Ovidiu accepts his fate and Miruna as his wife.
The movie has an ominous ending, with Puiuţ finding Robert in the street, convincing him to join his operation and then breaking the fourth wall: "Do you feel pity for this piece of trash? Hah! Got your money!".
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n dark comedy film directed by Nae Caranfil
Nae Caranfil
Nae Caranfil is a Romanian film director and screenwriter.-Career:Nae Caranfil is the son of important Romanian film historian and critic Tudor Caranfil...
.
Cast
- Mircea Diaconu as Ovidiu Gorea
- Gheorghe DinicăGheorghe DinicaGheorghe Dinică was a Romanian actor.Dinică showed an early interest in acting, being part of different amateur theater troupes since he was 17. In 1957, he entered The National Institute of Theatre and Cinematography Art in Bucharest. He graduated in 1961, already drawing public attention with...
as Pavel Puiuţ - Mara Nicolescu as Miruna Popescu
- Viorica Vodă as Diana Dobrovicescu
- Marius Florea Vizante as Bulache
- Florin Zamfirescu as Poet of Gara de Nord (North Railway Station in BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
) - Constantin Drăgănescu as Mr. Gorea
- Monica Ghiuţă as Mrs. Gorea
- Florin CălinescuFlorin CălinescuFlorin Călinescu is a Romanian actor, theatre director and television host.- References :...
as Himself - Ovidiu Niculescu as Waiter
- Valentin Popescu as Recuperator #1
- Liviu Timus as Recuperator #2
Plot
Ovidiu Gorea is a jaded, mid-40s, high-school teacher and novice writer, still living with his parents. He has just published a collection of short stories called 'Nobody Dies For Free', that the bookstores reject because no one buys it.The high school principal asks him to deal with a problem-student, Robert. Ovidiu has Robert call one of his parents for talks, but the boy sends his sister, Diana, a gorgeous teenager, instead. Ovidiu is smitten. He convinces Diana to go on a date with him, but what he thinks will be a quiet evening over coffee turns into a bar-hopping binge that leaves him nearly broke.
One night, he meets a shabby-looking drunk beggar who offers to recite poems in exchange for vodka. The two start talking and Ovidiu learns that the guy makes two or three times more money than him in a month out of this. He asks for an explanation and the beggar refers him to the Filantropica Foundation.
Located in a desolate basement, the Filantropica Foundation is actually the lair of Bucharest's beggars' leader, Pavel Puiuţ. A former convict, he realized that begging leads nowhere "unless there is a touching story behind the hand that begs", so he created an organized network of beggars, each with an invented, tear-jerking, background story that yields millions. Puiuţ listens to Ovidiu's story and thinks he is perfect for his new "project".
He pairs Ovidiu with Miruna, his secretary, and sends them to high-profile restaurants, where, in collusion with a waiter, they pose as a couple of poor teachers celebrating their wedding anniversary who find, at the end of their dinner, that they don't have enough money to cover the check; Ovidiu is responsible with making a scene that would struck a chord with one of the rich people present, who would pick up their check out of pity; later, out in the back, Ovidiu, Miruna and the waiter would split the money.
After several such performances, Ovidiu makes enough money to impress the material Diana. He rents a roadster, takes her to lakeshore clubs, his sole purpose being sleeping with her. The reluctant Puiuţ even gives him access to the foundation's "show-house" (a day-rental house meant to impress third-parties), but a poorly-timed customer call gives Ovidiu's cover away and an angry Diana leaves him.
Meanwhile, Miruna falls for her partner in crime and is angry that he keeps "bitching" about that "bimbo", instead of going for a "real woman". She manages to get him into her bed and Ovidiu is surprised to find out she is a former prostitute.
The scam goes terribly wrong when Ovidiu and Miruna go to a karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
bar, where their scene has no effect and the waiter, who is not in on it, takes Ovidiu to the back and beats him. Puiuţ then unveils the grand purpose of his "project": he sets the unsuspecting Ovidiu to appear with Miruna "in character" on a popular TV night show and tell the karaoke bar beating story; he then calls, pretends of being revolted and announces that his foundation has opened an account for people who want to offer money for the "poor teachers".
Meanwhile, in school, Ovidiu is visited by two thugs who ask him about Robert, who owes $3,000 to "a person" and who only has two days to make good. Ovidiu withdraws the amount from the foundation's account, calls Diana and gives her the money for her brother. She pretends being impressed and teases Ovidiu by telling him to visit her later that night. Naturally, she deceives him once more, by leaving the city in the afternoon. To top it off, Ovidiu finds Robert in a park, turned into a beggar, who tells him that "Diana" was not his sister, just some "chick".
Now $3,000 short, Ovidiu goes home to find the media and Puiuţ claiming he has just won the big prize in the lottery. It is again one of Puiuţ's scams, who reminds Ovidiu he "has him" because of the $3,000. Ovidiu accepts his fate and Miruna as his wife.
The movie has an ominous ending, with Puiuţ finding Robert in the street, convincing him to join his operation and then breaking the fourth wall: "Do you feel pity for this piece of trash? Hah! Got your money!".
Trivia
- Nae CaranfilNae CaranfilNae Caranfil is a Romanian film director and screenwriter.-Career:Nae Caranfil is the son of important Romanian film historian and critic Tudor Caranfil...
, the director, has a cameo appearanceCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as a karaokeKaraokeis a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
singer, singing Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's My WayMy Way (song)"My Way" is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra. Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux, with lyrics by Claude François and Gilles Thibault. Anka's English lyrics are unrelated to the...
.
Awards
- 2002 Mons International Festival of Love Films - Young European Jury Award
- 2002 Paris Film Festival - Public Prize
- 2002 Wiesbaden goEast - Special Jury Award
- 2003 Würzburg International Filmweekend - Audience Award