If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle

Some days ago closed the 60th annual edition of the Berlin Film Festival. Romania’s If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle (Romanian: Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier), the debut feature of 35-year-old director Florin Şerban set in a grim youth prison and featuring a cast full of amateurs, won the runner-up Grand Jury Prize (Silver Bear), and Alfred-Bauer Award for Cinematic Innovation.

The film is based on play with the same name of Andrea Vălean and focuses on the story of a teenager prisoner awaits his release when two weeks before that happens he's told that his mother is returned home from Italy. Meanwhile, he finds himself in love with a Sociology student, Ana, working in the penitentiary as an intern. When he hears that his mother wants to take his younger brother in Italy, he decides to escape, five days before his release.

It's the first Romanian feature whose cast was made by a detailed casting in rehabilitation centers for juveniles. For the leading role was chosen George Piştereanu, graduate of the 'Dinu Lipatti Art High School' in Bucharest. Writers were Cătălin Mitulescu and Florin Şerban, the film was produced by Strada Film and is distributed by Metropolis Film.