01-12-2011

Obituary: Andrei Blaier

By Iulia Blaga

    {mosimage}BUCHAREST: The Romanian film director and screenwriter Andrei Blaier died in Bucharest on 1 December 2011. He was 78. After finishing his film studies in Bucharest in 1956, Blaier started directing features, documentaries and TV series. He became famous with his sixth film, The Mornings of a Reasonable Boy/Dimineţile unui băiat cuminte (1967), which remains one of his best films together with Postcards with Wild Flowers/Ilustrate cu flori de câmp (1975) and Through the Ashes of the Empire/Prin cenuşa imperiului (1976)

    Being on good terms with the regime, he made several films before 1990, including Lost Forest/Pădurea pierdută (1972), The White Darkness/Întunericul alb (1982), The Moment of Truth/Momentuil adevărului (1989) and Wrath/Urgia (1976, co-directed together with Iosif Demian).

    After 1989 his career declined in terms of quality, and he dedicated himself to film teaching. He also directed the features Divorţ din dragoste (1991), Crucea de piatră (1993) and Terente - regele bălţilor (1995). Alone versus Myself/Dulcea saună a morţii (2003) was his last film.

    He was co-founder of the Film Faculty from Universitatea Media (www.universitateamedia.ro), which is part of MediaPro portfolio, and was its Honorary Dean upon his death. During his career, Blaier was awarded several times by the Romanian Filmmakers Association.