Further evidence of the continuing renaissance of Romanian cinema (The Death of Mr Lazarescu, 12:08 East of Bucharest) was presented when 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film is set over one long night in the final years of Ceausescu’s regime and traces the attempt of two students to attain an illegal abortion. In 1987, Otilia (Marinca) and Gabita (Vasiliu) are university roommates in an all-female residence. When Gabita becomes pregnant, they arrange a meeting in a cheap hotel room with criminal abortionist Mr Bebe (Ivanov). There are many standout scenes - rarely has screen realism been so nail-bitingly tense and dramatic - and a superb central performance from Anamaria Marinca as Otilia.