Romanian Socialist Directors: Heroes or Tricksters?

Abstract

This chapter explores the ambivalent identity of Romanian directors operating in the socialist regime. It suggests that one way to understand their identity is by reference to Romanian fairytales. As symbolic renderings of crucial life experiences, fairytales embody the accumulated wisdom of collectivities and individuals (Campbell, 1949/1993), making the unbelievable believable and the impossible possible in people’s minds (Bettelheim, 1976). The traits of the archetypal characters present in the most popular Romanian fairytales appear to be reflected in how the directors studied represent their abilities, aspirations and motivations to themselves, their bosses and workforces.