Sawt Falasteen - Romanian director Jude shoots latest film in 10 days on an iPhone

Containing Jude's typical offbeat humour and taste for the absurd, "Kontinental '25" recounts the life of a hard-working bailiff who is stricken by guilt caused by a suicide linked to her work.

Filmed in the Romanian province of Transylvania, it is based on a press story Jude read many years ago and was developed as a side project to his forthcoming epic on Dracula, featuring many of the same actors.

"It's a choice that you can ... look for a lot of money, so you can have a comfortable film to do, but I wanted the other path," said Jude, who said he was increasingly interested in the simplicity of early cinema.

"With a little bit of money, we managed to make a film," he told reporters on Wednesday at the Berlinale festival after the world premiere.

The 47-year-old director has emerged as a European arthouse favourite having won Berlin's Golden Bear for best picture in 2021 with his explicit story about a teacher and a sex tape titled "Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn."

Major films shot exclusively on mobile phones first emerged around a decade ago, including "Tangerine" (2015) by Oscar-nominated Sean Baker while Steven Soderberg used one for "High Flying Bird" and "Unsane".

- 'Ridiculous side' -

In "Kontinental '25", bailiff Orsolya seeks comfort from friends, a former student and a priest as she tries to deal with her role in a homeless man's death.

The film is intended as a social critique of Romania's booming economy, with well-intentioned Orsolya a minor player caught up in the money-spinning real estate market.

Long sequences of frequently funny and philosophical dialogue feature references to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, giving it a highly contemporary feel.

Jude said the offbeat humour in a story about a personal moral crisis reflected the reality of life for most people.

"Every human thing has a ridiculous side, a stupidity in it," he said. "You can see both sides. You can see the seriousness of the drama of things, but at the same time, the ridiculous dimension."

The Berlinale prize jury, headed by American independent director Todd Haynes this year, will announce their awards at a ceremony on Saturday.

A total of 19 films are competing in the main category.

O.Salim--SF-PST