What it’s about
Romanian worker Mattias (Grigore) gets fired from his job at a German slaughterhouse, and goes home to his village in Transylvania. There he touches base with estranged wife Ana (Barladeanu) and gentle son Rudi (Blenyesi), who has stopped speaking after a traumatic incident in the woods. Mattias is drawn back to ex-lover Csilla (Slate), who manages a bread factory. When Csilla decides to hire three Sri Lankans to work there, simmering resentment erupts in the town.
Why we love it
Dark, unflinching drama from director Mungiu (“4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days”) vividly portrays the downside of globalization in Europe, with more open borders and a mobile, diverse workforce leading to a rise in nativism and prejudice, particularly against black and brown workers. This is a blunt portrayal of human fear and ignorance, as the arrival of three harmless, hardworking men causes an uproar. The extended town hall sequence is a highlight. What’s most unnerving is that this phenomenon is nothing new, and hardly restricted to Europe. Nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, “R.M.N.” reaffirms Mungiu’s position as a filmmaker of the first rank.