2012 Cannes Film Festival Predictions: Cristian Mungiu’s Beyond The Hills

Gist: Mungiu’s follow-up to his Palme d’Or-winning 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days sounds like it could potentially introduce the unfamiliar element of ‘the supernatural’ into the Romanian New Wave. The Dumont-ian narrative follows two young women who grew up together and reunite in a Romanian convent. One wants to depart from the convent and head for Germany, the other is attached to the location and unwilling to accompany her friend. One may also be possessed by demons.

Prediction: Already picked up for North American distribution by Sundance Selects, Mungiu is a shoo-in to protect his crown in the Main Competition, especially after the black hole for Romanian cinema that was 2011.