TIGRU

2023 / 80 min / color

Vera works as a veterinarian at a zoo in a small Romanian town. Her new “patient” is a female tiger that a local gangster bought from a circus owner. She finds it difficult to focus on the task at hand because her personal life is falling apart. After the death of her newborn child, she fights in vain with the local priest for a dignified burial. Meanwhile, she accidentally finds out that her husband is cheating on her. Vera is distraught and tries to regain some balance by throwing herself into work, but after feeding the tiger she neglects to close the cage behind her. The next morning she finds out the animal has escaped; panic breaks out and quickly spreads from the zoo to the entire neighborhood. A frantic search begins — a desperate effort to avert a tragedy. Based on a true story, Andrei Tănase’s debut feature is an intriguing sociological study that blends the tradition of Romanian realism with a touch of the absurd. The metaphor of escaping to freedom nicely mirrors what Vera, played with artistry and conviction by Cătălina Moga, is going through.