“Clausura’s Sister” Review: Hilarious, Risqué Satire Reflects Our Times!

Does anything remain untouched in Ivana Mladenović’s “Sorella di Clausura”? The film, a boisterous Romanian comedy, tackles subjects like sex, sexism, aging, fame, social hierarchy, suicide, religiosity, anti-Roma sentiment, the shifting global political landscape, and the now somewhat dimmed appeal of EU membership. It does so in a style distinctly reminiscent of Radu Jude, featuring contributions from Jude’s regular cinematographer Marius Panduru and actress Katia Pascariu, the lead in Jude’s Golden Bear-winning film “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn”.

While Mladenović, along with co-writers Adrian Schiop and Momir Milosević, critique the current chaotic state of the world, they also, alongside Pascariu, propose a humorous strategy for coping: to out-crazy the world’s craziness. This approach echoes the humorous bar signs found globally: “You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps.”

Stela, portrayed by Pascariu, is a beleaguered woman in her forties living in Timișoara. She earns little from her job at a textile factory and resides in a cramped apartment with her frequently intoxicated relatives and a fluctuating number of neighbors. While her living conditions are far from glamorous, her life revolves around her lifelong infatuation with Boban (played by Miodrag Mladenovic, the director’s father), a waning star of Balkan pop music.

Her obsession leads her to steal her uncle’s pension money to attend a Boban concert, a decision that results in multiple misfortunes. She ends up injured and bruised from the concert, and her financial recklessness forces her family to move to a rural village due to inability to pay rent.

Despite these setbacks, Stela engages in a series of loveless sexual encounters with men who bear a slight resemblance to Boban, as she writes in an unsent fan letter. Her situation takes a turn when she begins sending hate messages on Facebook to Vera Pop (Cendana Trifan), a local semi-celebrity whom Boban admires. Surprisingly, her messages pique Vera’s interest rather than her ire, leading to a meeting where Vera suggests Stela write a book, which she offers to help publish. This new alliance embroils Stela in several of Vera’s dubious business ventures.

The film delivers a rapid succession of crude jokes and satirical punchlines, targeting various subjects with a mix of humor and pointed criticism. It also offers sharp commentary on Western Europe’s perception of its Eastern neighbors, illustrated by Stela’s clumsy attempts to reconnect with a lover, disguised in a trenchcoat and fedora and speaking in broken, German-accented English.

The film’s visual style, managed by Panduru, intentionally highlights the griminess and disorder of the settings, occasionally finding beauty in unexpected places, such as an overhead shot of Stela in a compromising position.

In any typical year or film festival, “Sorella di Clausura” would likely shock more conservative audiences. However, this year at the Locarno competition, it was overshadowed by Radu Jude’s own provocative film “Dracula,” which took audacity to new extremes.

Yet, despite their proximity and inevitable comparisons, “Sorella di Clausura” manages to stand out. Beyond its initial shock value, the film reveals a surprisingly tender core, celebrating the resilience of a woman who clings to her fantastical delusions as a means to cope with the absurdities of the world.