Tigru

Haunted by the true story of an animal’s escape from a zoo in Sibiu, Romanian filmmaker Andrei Tănase’s subtle exploration of love and loss is set in a town terrified by a tiger on the loose.

While emotionally drained vet Vera goes about her day, her small world is shaken by the arrival of a new resident at the zoo. Kept as a pet in a cage in a disused pool, the tiger awakens her nurturing side. But as revelations about her marriage and past unravel, the escape of the big cat brings things to a tense conclusion. The primal pull of the animal kingdom versus Vera’s complex inner torment is played out with minimal dialogue against a soundtrack of the natural world.

While providing another glimpse into his homeland following Claudiu and the Fish (2013), Summer Break (2015), and First Night (2016), Tigru breaks away from traditional Romanian realism. Imbuing the breathless pursuit of a tiger on the loose with a dash of absurdity coupled with a delicate character study makes Tigru a poignant, thought-provoking feature-length debut.

– Justine Maybank