Mihai's Story

As a kid, Mihai didn’t like much playing soccer with his mates, so he read most of the books in the school library. After graduating from school, he applied to the Literature Department of the Theology Faculty.
Only days before the exam, he was stabbed in the chest by his own friend and older sister’s boyfriend. He had been trying to stop her from seeing him, since he was getting involved in burglaries and other dodgy businesses.

Mihai nearly died, neglected in the local hospital, until he was transferred to the city for surgery. He spent months in hospital, then a whole year at home, recovering and preparing for the exam the following year.
He got in with a high mark, but this was not the end.

The family income was far to small to keep four children at University, so he abandoned his studies and went to a monastery, looking for support. For nine months nobody heard anything from him, until he returned home one day in a state of shock and alienation.

It took a ling time for Mihai to come back to life again and – according to his parents – it was discussions with the filmmaker which contributed to Mihai deciding to go back to University.
Now he’s a student again, and he has also started to learn English – from scratch – and is still in need of financial support…

The mother

Milica, the mother, only went to primary school. Lacking the means to continue, her parents have put her up with a family of teachers in town, as a servant. She was looking after their two babies, and the household, from the age of ten until she was seventeen when she got married. One year later she gave birth to her first daughter, and for the next twenty years she was looking after her own children –with all the health problems and shortages that came along. Her husband would have liked her to have abortions at a certain point, but she’s a believer and wouldn’t do it. She would pretend that she needed this or that, a gown or some shoes, in order to go to hospital – and of course they could never afford these things – and then it was too late.

She also was a very strict mother. She wouldn’t let her kids go out with children from broken families in the village. She would also vigorously stop them from going to pubs or discos in the local town. She’s been grieving a lot since her oldest daughter left university shortly before graduating, to enter a monastery. She’s still hoping that her eldest will go back to university one day…

The father

Mihai, the father, is said to have abandoned the spade in the field, in front of his parents, and run away, when he found out about the Vocational School being opened in the local town. Very ambitious, he became a supervisor in the nearby textile factory.

After the collapse of Communism, the factory went into decline and so did his health. He went through several surgical operations and is now living on social security. All the income of the family is twenty-five pounds a month, plus about the same amount in children’s allocations.

He’s the driving force behind his offspring's education. He’s always encouraged them all to continue school as long as possible, struggling to get support from the local Council or other sponsors, in order to keep them afloat. His dream was that all his children would go to University, and there are chances that this will come true…

Mircea's Story

According to his mother, Mircea is the most quiet, well behaved, modest and submissive of all her children.
He loved Russian and would have liked to study it at University. His parents talked him into something more useful though: zoology.

And there he is, a second year student, using every opportunity to come back home, even for the day sometimes. He can’t afford to stay much in the city, since he has no money to go out.

He’s still thinking of studying Russian afterwards, or going to work in Russia after graduating…

Marius's Story

Marius liked to go to the monastery nearby ever since he was a little boy. He has spent all his school holidays there and is still going every Sunday to sing at the Mass.

Marius is the first one not to have done very well at school. He failed to pass his High School graduation exam this summer, and consequently missed the admission exam at the Military School he had hoped to apply for.

He may go there next year though, since he passed the exam in the autumn. Till then, hardworking as always, he’ll be replacing Mihai on the family field.

Daniel's Story

His father is supposed to have been shocked when he first saw him in hospital, after he was born: he was so dark!

His schoolmates call him the Gypsy. When asked what he wanted to become when he’ll grow up he says "a forester"; so he’d be in the forest all the time, and people won’t see much of him.

His mother is encouraging him to do well at school, so he could go to University one day and "become a Romanian"…

Costel's Story

Unlike his older brothers, Costel likes soccer more than reading. Mihai has hopelessly tried to persuade him to register at the school library.

He does all his homework, but that’s all. He wants to become a soccer player. His father may have a different opinion though…

Gabriel's Story

Gabriel, the last born, shows sure signs of continuing the tradition of the family. He’s very good at school, particularly in Maths.

He’s also being trained by his older brothers, especially Mihai, to do other work; from digging the field, collecting grass for the poultry, or taking the cow or the horse to and from the pasture.