How hard can it possibly be to organise a family holiday?

In Principles of Life, rising star of the Romanian film scene Vlad Ivanov (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, MIFF 2007) plays a self-pitying, middle-aged, middle class suburban man trying his best to arrange a simple family holiday. Beset on all sides by minor setbacks and petty frustrations, his capacity to cope with the rigours of the modern world is severely tested.

A shining example of the understated wit of Romanian New Wave cinema, Principles of Life provides an endearingly droll account of a harassed, stubborn man going through a very, very bad 24 hours. Bracingly familiar but uniquely Romanian in execution, writer-director Constantin Popescu has constructed an exceedingly dry comedy of errors with an unexpectedly shattering conclusion.

D Constantin Popescu P Ada Solomon S Răzvan Rădulescu, Alex Baciu WS Coach 14 L Romanian w/English subtitles TD 35mm/2010