A Romanian millennial based in Paris, film-maker Eva Pervolovici felt disconnected from the communist past of her home country until the arrival of an unexpected parcel ignited her curiosity. Lena, a family friend, sent Pervolovici a beautiful piece of hand-stitched tapestry: a colourful artwork that opened a portal to a bleak and tragic history. Under the Ceaușescu regime, Lena was held at the notorious Văcăreşti prison in Bucharest, charged with anticommunist activities – the same vague accusations that forced numerous other women into incarceration.
Featuring intimate interviews with former inmates, this poignant documentary honours these brave souls who endured unimaginable hardship and pain. Many of the women gave birth during their imprisonment, and were forced to part with their children.
Pervolovici also dissects history in geographical and architectural terms. The Văcăreşti prison, we discover, was established within a former monastery; the contrast between the original grandeur of the complex and the abuse inflicted on the prisoners is shocking.
Decades after the Ceaușescus’ downfall and execution, the land on which the prison was built is now a nature park, having been cleared during the communist years. As the camera takes in the vast, lush landscape, Pervolovici undercuts this peaceful atmosphere with Lena’s account of her harrowing experience and excerpts from her TV interviews. It is a bold stylistic choice that conjures the ghosts of the past, yet the film is by no means pessimistic. Instead of concrete and prisoners, the urban “delta” – a park with wetlands – is now home to various Roma families. The sight of young children happily living among the greenery carries hope for the future.
• The Delta of Bucharest is on True Story from 7 July
