Sergiu Nicolaescu
Encyclopedia
Sergiu Florin Nicolaescu (ˈserd͡ʒju nokolaˈesku; born 13 April 1930) is a Romania
n film director
, actor and politician. He is best known for his historical films, such as Mihai Viteazul (1970, released in English both under the equivalent title Michael the Brave and also as The Last Crusade), Dacii (1966, Les Guerriers), Razboiul Independenţei (1977, War of Independence), as well as for his series of thrillers that take place in the interwar
Kingdom of Romania
, such as Un comisar acuză (1973, A Police Inspector Calls). He is one of the most popular film directors in Romania.
, but he grew up in Timişoara
, where his family moved when he was 5 years old. He graduated from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest
as a mechanical engineer. After graduation he started to work as a camera operator
.
was the 1966 French
-Romanian co-production Dacii (Les Guerriers). Nicolaescu continued his film-making career by directing a large number of movies and also starring in many of his own movies.
Most of Nicolaescu's movies are centered on figures and events in Romanian history, and be they with a greater realism, they somehow followed the patterns of the historical movies in the Communist countries. During the Communist period
, some of his movies were seen as ground-breaking through their way of publicly presenting Romanian history, while other insisted on a heroical dimension. For instance, the movie "Războiul independenţei" was the first Communist-era Romanian file to present a Romanian king
(namely Carol I
) in a positive fashion. On the other hand, Mircea
(1989, also known as Proud Heritage) is less realized artistically, including a legendary, standardised version of reality, common in the European communist countries. Nevertheless, Mircea was officially blocked from distribution, until the Romanian Revolution of 1989
("All I've done was to present a different state leader than Nicolae Ceauşescu
. He understood and stopped the movie [from premiere]"). After the latter, Nicolaescu expanded on historical themes, directing films that shed a positive light on Ion Antonescu
, Romania's Axis
-aligned dictator in the World War II period
(his Începutul adevărului, also known as Oglinda), or glorified the World War I
heroine Ecaterina Teodoroiu
(Triunghiul morţii, "Triangle of Death").
An accomplished director of battle scenes, Nicolaescu allegedly produces 70–80 meters of useful shots in the time that the average other director would take to produce 12–15 meters.
Although his recent films have not been as popular as his earlier productions, he continues to direct new films, such as Orient Express (2004) or Cincisprezece (2005), a love story set against the background of the 1989 Revolution.
in 1992 as a member of the Romanian
Social Democratic Party
. He left the party in 2011.
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 film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, actor and politician. He is best known for his historical films, such as Mihai Viteazul (1970, released in English both under the equivalent title Michael the Brave and also as The Last Crusade), Dacii (1966, Les Guerriers), Razboiul Independenţei (1977, War of Independence), as well as for his series of thrillers that take place in the interwar
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
Kingdom of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
, such as Un comisar acuză (1973, A Police Inspector Calls). He is one of the most popular film directors in Romania.
Early life and education
Sergiu Nicolaescu was born in Târgu JiuTârgu Jiu
Târgu Jiu is the capital of Gorj County, Oltenia, Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu. Eight villages are administered by the city: Bârseşti, Drăgoeni, Iezureni, Polata, Preajba Mare, Româneşti, Slobozia and Ursaţi.-History:The city takes its name...
, but he grew up in Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, where his family moved when he was 5 years old. He graduated from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest
Polytechnic University of Bucharest
Universitatea Politehnica din Bucureşti is a technical university in Bucharest, Romania. It was founded in 1864 based on the older technical school of Gheorghe Lazăr and it was renamed "Politehnica" in 1920.-History:...
as a mechanical engineer. After graduation he started to work as a camera operator
Camera operator
A camera operator or cameraman is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In filmmaking, the leading cameraman is usually called a cinematographer, while a cameraman in a video production may be known as a television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on...
.
Film director
Nicolaescu's debut as a director was in 1962 with the short film Scoicile nu au vorbit niciodată (Shells Have Never Spoken). His first feature filmFeature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
was the 1966 French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Romanian co-production Dacii (Les Guerriers). Nicolaescu continued his film-making career by directing a large number of movies and also starring in many of his own movies.
Most of Nicolaescu's movies are centered on figures and events in Romanian history, and be they with a greater realism, they somehow followed the patterns of the historical movies in the Communist countries. During the Communist period
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
, some of his movies were seen as ground-breaking through their way of publicly presenting Romanian history, while other insisted on a heroical dimension. For instance, the movie "Războiul independenţei" was the first Communist-era Romanian file to present a Romanian king
King of Romania
King of the Romanians , rather than King of Romania , was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when Romania was proclaimed a republic....
(namely Carol I
Carol I of Romania
Carol I , born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was reigning prince and then King of Romania from 1866 to 1914. He was elected prince of Romania on 20 April 1866 following the overthrow of Alexandru Ioan Cuza by a palace coup...
) in a positive fashion. On the other hand, Mircea
Mircea (film)
Mircea is a 1989 film about Mircea I of Wallachia, the Christian king of Wallachia who repelled the attempts at conquest made by the Ottoman Empire in the late 1300s and early 1400s...
(1989, also known as Proud Heritage) is less realized artistically, including a legendary, standardised version of reality, common in the European communist countries. Nevertheless, Mircea was officially blocked from distribution, until the Romanian Revolution of 1989
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
("All I've done was to present a different state leader than Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
. He understood and stopped the movie [from premiere]"). After the latter, Nicolaescu expanded on historical themes, directing films that shed a positive light on Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu
Ion Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
, Romania's Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
-aligned dictator in the World War II period
Romania during World War II
Following the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, the Kingdom of Romania officially adopted a position of neutrality. However, the rapidly changing situation in Europe during 1940, as well as domestic political upheaval, undermined this stance. Fascist political forces such as the Iron...
(his Începutul adevărului, also known as Oglinda), or glorified the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
heroine Ecaterina Teodoroiu
Ecaterina Teodoroiu
Ecaterina Teodoroiu was a Romanian woman who fought and died in World War I, and is regarded as a heroine of Romania.In Romanian historiography, Ecaterina Teodoroiu is placed in the context of gendered experience of the Great War on the Eastern Front, on the same pedestal as Queen Maria of...
(Triunghiul morţii, "Triangle of Death").
An accomplished director of battle scenes, Nicolaescu allegedly produces 70–80 meters of useful shots in the time that the average other director would take to produce 12–15 meters.
Although his recent films have not been as popular as his earlier productions, he continues to direct new films, such as Orient Express (2004) or Cincisprezece (2005), a love story set against the background of the 1989 Revolution.
Politician
Nicolaescu began a career as a politician after the Romanian Revolution and was elected to the Romanian SenateSenate of Romania
The Senate of Romania is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 137 seats , to which members are elected by direct popular vote, using Mixed member proportional representation in 42 electoral districts , to serve four-year terms.-Former location:After the Romanian...
in 1992 as a member of the Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Romania)
The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
. He left the party in 2011.
Feature films
- DaciiDacii (film)Dacii is a 1967 historical drama film about Domitian's Dacian War fought between the Roman empire and the Dacians in AD 87-88. This film was directed by Romanian director Sergiu Nicolaescu...
– 1967 - Lupta pentru Roma (co-director Robert Siodmack) – 1968
- Ciorap de piele (co-director Pierre Gaspard-Huit) – 1968
- Ultimul mohican – 1968
- Lacul din Ontario – 1968
- Preeria – 1968
- Mihai Viteazul – 1971
- Atunci i-am condamnat pe toţi la moarteAtunci i-am condamnat pe toţi la moarteThen I Sentenced Them All to Death is a 1972 Romanian historical and social film about World War II. It was directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. It was released on 24 August 1972 in Romania....
– 1972 - Cu mâinile curate - 1972
- Lupul mărilor (co-director Wolfgang Staudt) – 1972
- Răzbunarea – 1972
- Ultimul cartuş – 1973
- Un comisar acuză – 1974
- NemuritoriiNemuritoriiNemuritorii is a 1974 Romanian historical-adventure drama film. This film was directed by Romanian director Sergiu Nicolaescu...
– 1974 - Insula comorilor – 1975
- Piraţii - 1975
- Zile fierbinţi – 1975
- Osânda – 1976
- AccidentAccidentAn accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
– 1977 - Războiul independenţei (Pentru patrie) (co-directors Doru Năstase, Gh. Vitanidis) – 1977
- Revanşa – 1978
- Nea Mărin miliardar – 1978
- Mihail, câine de circ – 1978
- Ultima noapte – 1979
- Capcana mercenarilor – 1980
- Duelul – 1981
- Întâlnirea – 1982
- Viraj periculos – 1982
- Ringul – 1983
- Căutatorii de aur – 1985
- Ciuleandra – 1985
- Ziua Z – 1985
- Noi, cei din linia întâi – 1986
- François Villon (film) – 1987
- MirceaMircea (film)Mircea is a 1989 film about Mircea I of Wallachia, the Christian king of Wallachia who repelled the attempts at conquest made by the Ottoman Empire in the late 1300s and early 1400s...
– 1989 - Coroana de foc – 1990
- Cucerirea Angliei – 1990
- Începutul adevăruluiOglindaOglinda , also known as Începutul adevărului , is a controversial 1993 film by Romanian director Sergiu Nicolaescu...
– 1993 - Punctul zero – 1996
- Triunghiul morţii – 1999
- Orient Express – 2004
- Cincisprezece – 2005
- Supravieţuitorul – released on April 11, 2008
- Carol I (film)Carol I (film)Carol I, also known as Charles I: A Destiny and Charles I: A Destiny for Romania, is a 2009 historical documentary film by Romanian director Sergiu Nicolaescu, starring Sergiu Nicolaescu, Razvan Vasilescu and Cristian Motiu....
– released on May 9, 2009 - Poker (film) – 2010