English summary

Bacalaureat is a subtle, fascinating and convincing protest against corruption in education, where parents – against their better judgment – try to get the best for their children.

The intelligent 17-year-old Eliza lives in a small village in Transsylvania (Romania). Her father, Romeo Aldea, has raised his daughter with the expectation that she will study abroad when she turns 18. The ambitious plan appears to be a success: she has already received a scholarship for her studies at a prestigious university in England. The only thing left is a formality: she must pass one last admissions exam. Fate, however, intervenes. Eliza becomes the victim of a traumatic event that, legitimately, affects her performance. Romeo then does whatever he can to see to it that his treasured daughter gets admitted. Instead of reassuring her, though, his actions cause the student even more confusion …

Cristian Mungiu, who in 2007 won the Golden Palm for his film ‘4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days’, received for Bacalaureat the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival this year.