Clouds of Chernobyl
Original title: Anul pierdut 1986
Freedom is the only option.
Starring Isabela NeamțuWritten and directed by Ligia Ciornei
Ligia Ciornei’s feature debut. Produced by Pala Film with Chainsaw Europe, Adenium Film, and Doctor’s Studio.
- World Premiere, Romanian Days Competition, Transilvania International Film Festival 2022
- Winner, Best International Feature Film (Gamble-Paison Prize), Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival 2022
- Winner, Best Production Design (Cristina Milea), Romanian Filmmakers’ Union (UCIN) Awards 2023
- Winner, Film of the Fest, FFTG Awards 2023
Synopsis
The radioactive contamination caused by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster jeopardizes a young woman’s chances of giving birth to a healthy child in communist Romania.
Romania, 1986. Irina is a village teacher, a mother of two, and the wife of a ship’s captain. When she hears the news about the radiation from Chernobyl, she runs home to burn her clothes. She is pregnant, and her mother-in-law has already arranged an illegal abortion. An abortion could send Irina to prison, while keeping the child would put her mother-in-law’s freedom at risk. Years later, as the communist regime collapses, her children judge the choice she made.
Where to Watch
Stream, rent, or buy Clouds of Chernobyl.
Distributed in the US by MVD Entertainment Group.
Available in 16 territories
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Hungary
- Poland
- Czech Republic
- North Macedonia
- Moldova
- Croatia
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Kosovo
- Slovakia
- Albania
- Montenegro
Availability varies by territory.
Current options on JustWatch: United StatesRomania
About the Film
The story
Inspired by true events
In 1986, several women from Romanian Bukovina, Iași, Vrancea, and Tulcea were forced to have abortions in inhumane conditions, although abortion was illegal. The script grew out of Ligia Ciornei’s meetings with women who lived through that time, and out of a story her parents told her about a pregnant family friend.
The making of
Ligia Ciornei shot about 70% of the film in six days, on a low budget; the longest uncut sequence lasts 20 minutes. After seeing an edited draft, Cristian Mungiu urged her to give the film a proper ending, and Dana Bunescu advised on the edit.
Release
In Romanian theaters from June 24, 2022, released by Pala Film. HBO acquired the film for 10 countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Premiere
World premiere on June 23, 2022, at the Transilvania International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca, in the Romanian Days competition.
Festivals
Winner of the Gamble-Paison Prize for Best International Feature Film at the 8th Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival in Vermont, in August 2022.
Awards
Cristina Milea won the 2023 Romanian Filmmakers’ Union (UCIN) award for production design. The same year the film was named Film of the Fest at the FFTG Awards, an online festival founded in New York.
In the United States
Distributed in the United States by MVD Entertainment Group, under the All Channel Films label.
Credits
Produced by Pala Film, in co-production with Chainsaw Europe, Adenium Film, and Doctor’s Studio. Starring Isabela Neamțu, Gavril Pătru, Victoria Cociaș, and Valer Dellakeza. Sound design: Alin Zăbrăuțeanu. Edited by Alice Furdui and Dana Bunescu. Production design: Cristina Milea. Director of photography: Dan Dimitriu. Co-producers: Viorel Chesaru and Cristina Badea. Producers: Ligia Ciornei, Dan Dimitriu, and Mario Marian. Written and directed by Ligia Ciornei.
- Written and directed by
- Ligia Ciornei
- Producers
- Ligia CiorneiDan DimitriuMario Marian
- Co-producers
- Viorel ChesaruCristina Badea
- Cinematography
- Dan Dimitriu
- Editing
- Alice FurduiDana Bunescu
- Production design
- Cristina Milea
- Sound design and re-recording mix
- Alin Zăbrăuțeanu
- Colorist
- Adriana Crăciunescu
- Visual effects
- Dragoș Tănase
- Cast
- Isabela NeamțuIrinaGavril PătruYannisVictoria CociașMarcelaValer DellakezaVasileOana PușcatuIonelaAnastasia Teodora SimionEmil Badea RaduGabrielSabin Simion
- Production company
- Pala Film
- Co-production
- Chainsaw EuropeAdenium FilmDoctor’s Studio
