During the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Sibiu witnesses a violent attack on a police station that escalates into armed clashes between soldiers, police, protesters, and secret police. References Rocky (1976). 1. The Great ‘Freedom’ Production or ‘Libertate’ (2023), directed by Tudor Giurgiu and produced by Oana Giurgiu, is a rare gem among the few pieces of Romanian filmography that deals with the events that took place in Romania in December 1989. The experience is extremely impressive thanks in part to the fast and well-thought-out camera movements (as if you were one of the background characters witnessing the story unfolding) and the incredible sound design and effects (complementing your sense of hearing, your presence during these events). This effect is also achieved by the camera being quite close to the action and the sound focus/angles/framing/sound design during dialogue or action-oriented scenes. Everything from the sets to the aftereffects portray a complete and deeply immersive experience of the ’89 revolution as seen from Sibiu, creating a sense of ‘Hollywood budget’ production factor, for which the production team should be commended and which makes this film a must-see for all Romanians, especially those who did not live through those events and who would benefit immensely from adding this small reference point to their country’s history dictionary. As for the dialogue, the lines are wonderfully spicy, capturing the vivid vocabulary of the times and the spirit of the Romanian people through their language in the face of adversity (thanks in no small part to the impeccable performances of the actors and actresses). With some brilliantly clichéd, modern, humorous moments here and there, the immersion is not interrupted and the overarching theme of the Romanian proverb: "Facem haz de necaz" – or "To mock in adversity" remains beautifully captured, something that Romanian audiences would clearly sympathize with despite the colorless, hopeless, and eerie atmosphere. 2. Lack of Message The other side of the coin here is what ultimately feels like an unfinished artistic vision on the part of the directing team. To put it bluntly, after leaving the theater, you are left with a confusing feeling of not fully understanding the film’s message – as if you were accidentally handed a perfectly crafted cake at 1:00 PM on a Tuesday and wondering what the occasion was. As other reviewers have said, this film is an exceptional radiography of the events that unfolded during that period, but as with any radiography, a diagnostician is needed to guide the patient through the end result to a proper and digestible conclusion – perhaps not in the case of modern art, but certainly in the case of historical films. In the case of 'Libertate' The director’s vision was either overshadowed by a focus on production and realism or diluted in the process, to the point where the viewer doesn’t feel gently waltzed in by an overarching message or concluding moral, as is usually the ultimate goal of storytelling, regardless of medium. This may be partly due to the intentional neutrality of the director’s vision or an accidental oversight as a result of the focus on the story itself, the research, and its delivery. Nevertheless, conclusions can still be drawn, but they are perhaps uncomfortably left to the will and subjective experiences of the viewer who, in this case, regardless of generation, is less seeking freedom of thought than answers about what really happened in ’89 and who is responsible for the many deaths that occurred.