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Winning a competition turns out to be quite an ordeal for this Romanian teenager

May 17th 2010 By Philip Kemp

Delia (Andreea Bosneag) is a sullen and dumpy teen who’s won herself a car in a prize draw from a soft drink company.

And in a crowded and noisy square in downtown Bucharest she’s required to express her uncontrollable delight in a television commercial.

As the day wears on, and she tries take after take, Delia squabbles with her parents – who want to flog the car – and is bullied and patronised by the impatient film crew (“The girl’s got a moustache!”).

A sharp and sardonic fable on the joys of capitalism, Radu Jude’s film is a fine entry in the new wave of Romanian cinema. And yes, the title is ironic.