MMXX by Cristi Puiu – The 10th Muse and the Dismantling of Attractions

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of stylistic and thematic coherence in the work of Romanian director Cristi Puiu, in particular the recurring elements of cinematic language that characterise the Romanian New Wave and the constant thematic motifs presented by Puiu in a philosophical and theological key. Based on the observations of Karol Irzykowski, a Polish precursor of theoretical thought on cinema as art, the article examines how the narrative strategy Irzykowski termed 'fermata', used by him especially to describe extensive film, functions in relation to Puiu's works. This phenomenon is considered as a characteristic feature of Puiu's full-length works, although particular attention is given to the analysis of his most recent picture, 2023's MMXX, which tackles the theme of functioning in conditions of social isolation. This film, due to its specific construction, also allows us to look at how the individual components of the film image (episodes) interact with each other giving the film work additional meaning at the level of its structure. Whether Puiu continues or breaks with the themes taken up in his previous films, how to read the ascetic form and enigmatic content, constituting a kind of uncompromising 'dismantling of attractions', challenging the audience and potentially hindering the perception of the film – these are the questions the author poses and attempts to answer in this article.