Alice Kanterian

Standing ovations at the premiere in Cannes of Three kilometers to the end of the world presented in the main competicion by the Romanian director Emanuel Parvu.

Three kilometers to the end of the world is the first participation in Cannes as a director for Emanuel Parvu, who has been here befowith with Miracle but as an actor. The world premiere took place on May 17, in the already iconic Grand Theatre Lumiere, in the presence of the team.

Three kilometers to the end of the world presents a true psychological thriller that takes place in the idyllic and timeless setting of the Danube Delta. In this village of fishermen where life flows smoothly, patriarchally, in almost generalized poverty and where poaching is the only activity that ensures the subsistence of the inhabitants, a violent incident occurs that brings to the surface a situation unacceptable to the community.

The homophobia shared by the entire community, even by the parents of the young victim serves as a mitigating circumstance for violence, both physical and especially psychological. Corruption and a web of interests based on compromise and poor understanding of local problems without the involvement of authorities surface in the wake of the violent attack on Adi, a young man whose sexual orientation is unthinkable in this retrograde community.

Director Emanuel Parvu and his co-screenwriter Miruna Berescu at the press conference of the festival, both parents spoke about a severe rape case in Romania which got their attention, the victim was accused by the society and not the aggresors.

Both admitted that it would have been impossible to present the drama from the perspective of the victim, not daring to enter the unfamiliar territory of those suffering and marginalized by a society with closed mentalities, unable to accept its citizens as they are.

In Emanuel Parvu's view, Adi's aggressors can be us, but also potential victims of society, as suggested by the poster with the U2 band in the young man's room: You too, you could be the next victim.

Alice Kanterian