Tudor Giurgiu’s ‘The Spruce Forest’ to Premiere in Romania on October 7

Bucharest, The Gulf Observer: Acclaimed Romanian filmmaker Tudor Giurgiu’s latest feature, The Spruce Forest (Pădurea cu Molizi), will premiere in Romanian cinemas starting October 7, Transilvania Film announced.

Inspired by the April 1, 1941 tragedy of Fântâna Albă, the film tells the harrowing story of a Romanian community in Bessarabia that was massacred while attempting to escape Soviet occupation. The historical backdrop reflects Romania’s forced cession of Bessarabia, Bukovina, and the Herța Land to the Soviet Union in 1940.

The drama, which fictionalizes real accounts from survivors, reunites veteran actors Coca Bloos and Mircea Andreescu in what has been described as an intense tête-à-tête performance. Andreescu portrays a genocide survivor whose testimony interweaves with archival footage and memories from Siberia as told by his wife, played by Bloos. This narrative approach creates “a dizzying game of mirrors that questions historical truth and revives forgotten traumas with lasting consequences,” according to the film’s synopsis.

The cast also features Ionuț Caras, Mircea Constantinescu, Gabriel Gheorghe, and Silva Helena Schmidt.

Giurgiu, who co-wrote the script with Gabriel Gheorghe, emphasized his intention to explore the enduring impact of historical trauma.
“I realized that the true devastation lies not just in the massacre but in the human tragedy of those who survived, returned, or were deported. These stories should resonate with audiences of all ages,” Giurgiu said.

The film’s cinematography is by Marius Panduru and Toma Velio, with editing by Alex Pintică.

Ahead of its release, the cast and crew will embark on a nationwide promotional tour in September and October, featuring screenings in cinemas and discussions with students in high schools.