Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude extends his exploration of social critique in Kontinental ’25, which follows Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World and precedes his forthcoming Dracula Park, expected to premiere in Cannes. His latest work, a dramedy, unfolds in Cluj-Napoca, the unofficial capital of Transylvania, according to Screen Anarchy.
The film centers on Orsolya (Eszter Tompa), a bailiff assigned to evict a homeless man from a building’s basement. What begins as a routine procedure escalates into a crisis when the man takes his own life.
Rather than examining direct responsibility, the story shifts toward a broader inquiry into guilt and complicity within a system that sustains social inequalities. Jude structures the film around this transition, framing Orsolya’s delayed moral reckoning as a means of questioning the boundaries of individual accountability within a larger socio-economic framework.
Jude’s approach in Kontinental ’25 is consistent with his established methods, which merge historical inquiry with contemporary critique. His earlier films, including Aferim!, a period piece that examined Romania’s past through the lens of a Western, and Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, a satire on contemporary moral hypocrisy, similarly challenge dominant narratives while incorporating a distinct formal playfulness. These tendencies reached a critical point in Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, where satire became central to his exploration of systemic contradictions.
Compared to Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, Kontinental ’25 moves at a more deliberate pace and tempers its satirical sharpness. The film opens with an extended prologue following Ion (Gabriel Spahiu), a homeless man, as he wanders through Cluj, asking passersby for spare change. One of the funniest moments unfolds in Cluj’s Dino Park, where Ion lingers, before Orsolya later retraces his steps under markedly different circumstances.
Jude employs extended, dialogue-driven sequences in the lead-up to the crisis. Ion, a former athlete who struggled in later years and fell into gambling, is given a few more minutes to gather his belongings before relocating to a homeless shelter that Orsolya has arranged.
He has been living in a boiler-room-like space, for which he was still expected to pay rent but ultimately failed to do so. Orsolya arrives with a group of police officers, one of whom records the encounter, ostensibly to ensure the eviction is handled as humanely as possible.
He does not react well to the situation and hangs himself from a wire attached to the heater, a moment Jude stages with a grotesque quality of Roy Andersson’s dark humor. When Orsolya returns and discovers the scene, she spirals into a state of psychological and emotional turmoil, grappling with guilt. The eviction had been ordered to clear the space for redevelopment into a luxury hotel, Kontinental, funded by a German investor.
Jude draws on Roberto Rossellini’s Europe ’51 as a thematic reference, adopting the motif of a protagonist confronting guilt after an irreversible tragedy. Up to this point, the film follows Ion, but after his suicide, the focus shifts entirely to Orsolya as she navigates the consequences. Her reckoning is both personal, as she struggles with guilt and regret over how she handled the situation, and social, as she becomes the target of online harassment.
Blamed for Ion’s death, she faces an escalating wave of hate speech that takes on a nationalist tone, with critics questioning her Romanian identity because she is a Hungarian-speaking Romanian. Jude frames her crisis within an absurdist structure, where personal reflection clashes with systemic inertia.
Kontinental ’25 returns to a stripped-down, observational style reminiscent of Jude’s earlier work, while sharpening its focus on contemporary socio-economic and political concerns. Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World used Romania’s labor conditions as a starting point before veering into a stream-of-consciousness satire on modern society.
Kontinental ’25 follows a more linear structure but incorporates documentary elements, including static shots of Cluj’s urban landscape. These interludes interrupt the narrative flow, subtly steering the film toward the form of a docu-essay.
The setting plays a central role in reinforcing the film’s themes, much as Bucharest did in Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. Cluj, often presented as a Romanian success story due to its expanding IT sector and rapid urban development, serves as the backdrop for a story tackling gentrification, the housing crisis, and nationalism.
Eszter Tompa’s portrayal of Orsolya captures the contradictions of a character who, despite her professional obligations, struggles to reconcile personal morality with institutional duty. The film’s humor emerges from understated irony and Orsolya’s inability to align her self-perception with the reality unfolding around her.
Orsolya enjoys a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in a newly developed neighborhood, preparing for a family vacation in Greece with her husband, portrait in a near-cameo by Romanian filmmaker Adrian Sitaru, and their two children. Shaken by recent events, she cancels her trip, staying behind in an attempt to regain her composure.
She reconnects with Fred (Adonis Tanta), a former law student turned fast-talking food delivery courier who punctuates their conversations with Zen parables. A night of drinking with him prompts her to question her career path. Seeking reassurance, she later visits a priest, once again recounting the homeless man’s suicide in the hope of hearing from a higher authority that she bears no responsibility.
The film’s prolonged sequences, along with extended observational shots of the city, diffuse the narrative momentum, resulting in a hybrid form that blends dramedy with elements of a docu-essay. Kontinental ’25 is a deliberately low-budget production, shot over ten days on an iPhone 15 with a minimal crew and natural lighting. Its aesthetic recalls a stripped-down, improvisational approach, evoking a raw, punk-inflected take on modern neorealism. The film carries a sense of spontaneity, as if conceived as a side project Jude pursued over a free week.
Lacking the sharpness and pacing of Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World or the conceptual precision of Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Kontinental ’25 feels like an a temporary fix before Dracula Park, which may return to the more incisive satire of Jude’s previous works.
Kontinental ’25 won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at Berlinale 2025.
Radu Jude is a renowned Romanian film director and screenwriter, celebrated for his innovative and thought-provoking works. Born on March 28, 1977, in Bucharest, Romania, Jude has made significant contributions to contemporary cinema, earning numerous accolades and international recognition.
Early Career and Education
Radu Jude graduated from the Film Directing Department of the Media University of Bucharest in 2003. He began his career as an assistant director on notable films such as “Amen.” directed by Costa-Gavras and “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu” directed by Cristi Puiu. Jude’s early work included several award-winning short films, such as “Lampa cu căciulă” (2006), which became the most awarded Romanian short film of all time.
Feature Films and Acclaim
Jude’s feature film debut, “The Happiest Girl in the World” (2009), garnered critical acclaim and won several awards, including the CICAE Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Sofia International Film Festival. His subsequent films, such as “Everybody in Our Family” (2012) and “Aferim!” (2015), further established him as a prominent figure in the film industry. “Aferim!” won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Recent Works and Achievements
In 2021, Radu Jude won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for his film “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn,” a dark comedy that explores contemporary social issues.
Style and Influence
Radu Jude is known for his distinctive style, which often combines elements of dark humour, social critique, and historical reflection. His films frequently address complex themes such as identity, morality, and the human condition. Radu Jude’s work has been praised for its originality, depth, and ability to provoke thought and discussion.
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