“Metronom” at the Belfast Film Festival 2022

We are all bombarded with marketing messages about mainstream films, but what about independent cinema? Film festivals are the places where you can discover and explore cinema from all over the world. 

Belfast Film Festival is no exception – it is NI’s biggest film festival; it began in 1995 as part of Feile An Phobail and has developed hand in hand with the evolving culture of film patronage and filmmaking in the city. The 22nd Belfast Film Festival is running from the 3rd to the 12th of November, where you can not only see ‘not so mainstream’ films, but attend special screenings and events and network with like-minded people.

One of the films I had the pleasure of seeing was Metronom by Alexandru Belc, which is his debut film and is part of the Romanian New Wave (2004-present). Just as the French New Wave and Italian Neorealism gave birth to some of the most influential filmmakers, the Romanian New Wave has given the world quite a few up-and-coming filmmakers whose films have the potential to become classics over time, and Alexandru Belc really proves that with Metronom. This genre of cinema is realist and minimalist, while showcasing matters of social crisis and political change. Belc also won an award for directing in the “Un Certain Regard” section at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year. 

Metronom is a coming-of age romance/drama film set in the era of communism. The film showcases how corrupt and repressive institutions can invade the personal space of all. Set in 1972 in Bucharest, the film depicts a 17-year-old Ana as she’s trying to get a grasp of the world that is surrounding her. In the opening scene we can see her boyfriend telling her that he has decided to leave the country and escape the hopeless atmosphere – the totalitarian government itself. Even though Ana is heartbroken of the fact, she still decides to join her friends in a small gathering; while they listen and dance to Jimi Hendrix they write a letter to a famous show called Metronom. While they’re all sitting down and brainstorming what they could write, Ana feels overwhelmed and decides to go for a breather. When she returns to the apartment a few minutes later, secret police break into the party, letting them know they have broken the state’s law… but how would they know? You’ll need to watch the film to find out. 

The second half takes a darker turn, with one gruesome scene in particular. The movie is filled with handheld shots and a neutral colour palette, using vintage lenses that give the “cinéma vérité” feel, which I always appreciate in films. One or two sequences felt a little bit drawn out, but other than that Metronom is exciting, creative and a little bit dark, but it’s well worth a few hours of your time. 


 Metronom Film Trailer

📽 Metronom will be commercially available in January 2023 📽


Film Review: Ellie Mihaylova 







Location: United Kingdom

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