Radu Mihaileanu, A New Cinematic Humanism (Essay‪)‬

1. Mihaileanu and Romanian Cinema Radu Mihaileanu occupies a unique position in the history of Romanian cinema. A Romanian Jew who immigrated to France in the 1980s, Mihaileanu repeatedly acknowledged his multiple identities as steps towards becoming a global citizen. While his filmic debut with Trahir (Betrayal 1993) and Train de vie (Train of Life 1998) relate very much to the Romanian social and political landscape, Vas, vis et deviens (Live and Become 2005) definitely marks his international success and full recognition as a French filmmaker. (1) His films of the nineties represent both a personal transitional and a rare perspective on the former socialist Romania since he left it in 1980. Abroad, he had the opportunity to compare and reflect on the differences between the Eastern and Western European systems. In addition, his knowledge of the Romanian Jews allowed him to share (2) a tare and unique insider's view on the role and status of the Jewish minority in Romania. (3) As a result, Mihaileanu's films of the nineties should be analyzed in the specific social context of former socialist Romania and of the Jews' history in Eastern Europe. Train de vie becomes even more significant considering that Mihaileanu managed to avoid the stereotypical Holocaust cinema portrayal and that, with the Ceausescu regime out of the way (1989), be could return to Romania for filming.