Despite being a political liberal, Cristian Mungiu’s film “Fjord” highlights a form of progressive narrow-mindedness and hypocrisy that he believes rivals the characteristics of the far right, according to recent media reactions. The film explores essential debates vital to any society, including Romania.
Mungiu asserts, “We do not live in a society. We live in bubbles, on different banks of the same river.” His film is Romania’s nomination for this year’s Oscars.
Included in the official selection of the Toronto Film Festival, although “Fjord” did not win an award, it gained significant respect and engaged wide public discourse.
Film critic Jake Coyle from the Associated Press (AP) notes that “Fjord” is a rare type of art film designed to raise uncomfortable questions about the relationships between progressivism and conservatism.
Another publication, Variety, emphasized that Mungiu refrains from providing black-and-white answers to the pressing question of who is truly intolerant. The film critically and anti-authoritarily examines the moral wrinkles and ambiguities within seemingly ordered and progressive systems in certain countries.
Mungiu has reiterated in multiple public appearances that he is not a conservative, but acknowledges that intolerance, whether progressive or otherwise, yields negative outcomes.
A Critique of Progressive Blindness
In an article published Thursday by AP, Jake Coyle highlights that the Romanian director bases his rigorously realistic films on actual events, using them as a backdrop to explore broader social forces shaping our world.
Coyle provides a brief overview of “Fjord,” noting that the film is inspired by a real incident from 2015 in Norway. The story follows a Christian couple, played by Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, who emigrated from Romania to Norway with their five children. They are warmly welcomed by a progressive rural community, yet their traditional and religious customs come under scrutiny, culminating in the state taking custody of their children.
This cultural conflict, according to the critic, makes the film “unusual.” Coyle elaborates that “Fjord” is one of the few art films that poses uncomfortable questions to a largely left-leaning audience.
Jake Coyle reiterates Mungiu’s statement from a recent interview: “The far left behaves similarly. They are convinced they hold the truth. All you do is divide society to the level of division present today. We do not live in a society. We live in bubbles, on different banks of the same river.”
“This is what this film boldly does. It speaks openly and articulates feelings we all share but dare not voice,” Mungiu added.
