Forest of the Hanged
| Forest of the Hanged | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Liviu Ciulei |
| Written by | Titus Popovici Liviu Rebreanu |
| Starring | Victor Rebengiuc Ștefan Ciubotărașu Liviu Ciulei Emil Botta |
| Cinematography | Ovidiu Gologan |
| Edited by | Yolanda Mîntulescu |
| Music by | Theodor Grigoriu |
Production company | Studioul Cinematografic București |
Release date |
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Running time | 158 minutes |
| Country | Romania |
| Language | Romanian |
Forest of the Hanged (Romanian: Pădurea Spânzuraților) is a 1965 Romanian drama film directed by Liviu Ciulei. It is based on the eponymous novel by Liviu Rebreanu. However, it deviates significantly from the original work, as it was produced under the supervision of the Romanian Workers Party. Forest of the Hanged became the first Romanian film to achieve wide international recognition. Ciulei, who also plays the role of Captain Otto Klapka, won the award for Best Director at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival.
The film tells the story of Lieutenant Apostol Bologa (Victor Rebengiuc), a Romanian serving in the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War 1. Slowly, the terror of his routine and situation forces him to choose between his military duty or greater feelings of humanity.
The film was produced by Studioul Cinematographic București and was highly praised both internationally and domestically.