Victor Rebengiuc
Victor Rebengiuc | |
---|---|
Caragiale Academy of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography | |
Occupation(s) | Stage actor, film actor, activist |
Years active | 1955–present |
Awards | Order of the Star of Romania, Grand Cross rank |
Victor Rebengiuc (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈviktor rebenˈd͡ʒjuk]; known in full as Victor-George Rebengiuc; born 10 February 1933) is a Romanian film and stage actor, also known as a civil society activist.
Since 1957, he has been a member of the
Rebengiuc's life under the
Biography
Early life
A native of
Victor Rebengiuc completed his secondary studies at the Military High School, a school which he is grateful to for having instilled in him a sense of discipline.
He graduated in 1956, and, after a six-month stint at the National Theater in Craiova,[2][6] returned to Bucharest, settling in the vicinity of the Cișmigiu Gardens and starting work with Bulandra.[2] Rebengiuc was at the time in a relationship with Anca Verești, whom he married in 1960, divorcing her five years later.[2]
Rebengiuc's first drama role was as Biff in
First major roles
Rebengiuc debuted in cinema with the 1956 Mîndrie, and went on to minor roles in several films, including the 1960
It was on the set that he met and fell in love with
Ever since he became known to the public, Rebengiuc established himself as one of the leading actors of his generation, and won praise for both his technique and natural ability.
After his debut in cinema, Rebengiuc became a regular presence on screen. His next film was the 1967
During the late 1970s, Rebengiuc was also required to appear in a series of film productions that he admits were of little quality and mainly catered to the ideological tenets newly imposed by the
He acknowledges having managed to escape most other forms of endorsement for the communist leader's
1980s and Revolution
During the 1980s, he had several roles in Romanian productions, beginning with
In 1983, Rebengiuc appeared in Dan Piţa's
In 1986, Rebengiuc was the central figure in
In December 1989, Rebengiuc was a participant in the
1990s and early 2000s
After the end of communism, Rebengiuc continued to act in cinema productions. In 1992, he starred as the Village Mayor in Pintilie's award-winning
The following year, he was in the cast of
He was also sporadically present on the stage with Bulandra, and stated that he was not interested in starring in works of
He was
Rebengiuc also appeared in his first major television production, Tandreţea lăcustelor, adapted by Dan Necşulea from a screenplay by Eugene Pretorian, and aired by TVR 1 in 2003. It depicted the lives of people made rich and powerful by the Revolution, who invest their energies in undermining each other's positions.[19] The same year, he again collaborated with Pintilie, starring opposite Răzvan Vasilescu and Niki and Flo, impersonating Colonel Niki Ardelean. His character, whom Rebengiuc himself describes as "a modest man, but one who knows his own value", is exasperated by Flo's continuous intrusion into his life, and eventually turns to murder.[3] He describes this part as the most straightforward of his film characters,[4] and indicates that working with screenwriter Cristi Puiu impressed him.[3][5] In 2004, he and Puiu collaborated on the short film Cigarettes and Coffee, which received the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Rebengiuc, who portrayed one of three characters (The Father), describes feeling "pleased" by the collaboration,[5] and having to work with "one of the best" texts.[3] This performance also earned him prizes at the Transilvania International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca and the Anonimul Film Festival in the Danube Delta.[5]
Late 2000s
With the Bulandra crew, he was also cast as The Father in Liviu Ciulei's adaptation of
In early 2008, he was
Also in 2007–2008, Rebengiuc was cast in two films:
His performance as Willy Loman was awarded another UNITER prize in April 2009.
He also embarked on a collaboration with the
Politics
Early causes
In a 2005 interview with
Rebengiuc first voiced his political message to the public during the
On 1 May 1990, at the height of the
After 1990, Rebengiuc remained a critic of the Salvation Front's successor, the
Civil society activist
Since 2002, Rebengiuc has been a member of the
He chose to retire from Romanian politics, stating in 2008: "I see no sense in being involved, since I cannot go all the way in opting for any person. I do not believe in any of the people I could elect at this moment, and I therefore prefer to stand aside."[2] Confessing that he cannot bring himself to even read newspapers, he declares himself "disgusted" with the political class.[3] Despite his withdrawal, he signed his name to a set of initiatives which presume a political role. In March 2006, the actor voiced a public appeal signed by 30 non-governmental organizations and over 230 public figures, through which he asked President Traian Băsescu to effect the condemnation of the communist regime in the spirit of the Timișoara Proclamation.[37]
Partly as a result of this appeal, the head of state instituted the Presidential Commission for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Romania, which was headed by historian Vladimir Tismăneanu, and a report which the president read in Parliament. During the subsequent controversy, criticism of Băsescu and the report was notably voiced by the opposition groups: the Social Democrats, the Conservative Party and the Greater Romania Party. In February 2007, as parliamentary forces voted in favor of an impeachment referendum against Băsescu, Rebengiuc joined Tismăneanu and 48 other intellectuals in signing an open letter condemning the move. They argued that such a reaction had been made possible by "the concerted attacks of those who felt shaken their business, their impunity, the possibility of perpetuating the post-communist oligarchic state."[38] Warning that, together with the break-up of the Justice and Truth Alliance, this kind of reaction had fermented "a political crisis", they also supported Băsescu's stated goals of stamping out corruption and granting the public opening the archives of the communist secret police, the Securitate.[38] Other signatories of the letter included Gabriel Liiceanu, Sorin Ilieșiu, Mircea Mihăieș, Dan C. Mihăilescu, Mircea Cărtărescu, Magda Cârneci, Horia-Roman Patapievici, Șerban Rădulescu-Zoner, Andrei Oișteanu, Ruxandra Cesereanu, Dan Perjovschi, Alexandru Zub, Virgil Nemoianu, Adriana Babeți, Livius Ciocârlie, Andrei Cornea, Sabina Fati, Florin Gabrea, Andrei Pippidi, Dan Tapalagă, Sever Voinescu, Florin Țurcanu, Hannelore Baier, and Traian Ungureanu.[38]
His call to uncover the secrets of Romania's communist past also made him look up data kept on him by the Securitate and placed at his disposal by the CNSAS , a state agency which manages Securitate archives. He believes that certain information is still missing from his file, indicating that his tendency to speak his mind is likely to have caused the authorities to keep him under surveillance.[3] He also stresses that he long suspected people in his pre-1989 entourage of having informed on him to the Securitate, and recounts having received hate mail soon after the Revolution, especially after having expressed criticism for the Salvation Front.[3]
In January 2007, Rebengiuc and Perjovschi also spoke out on the issue of cultural policies, protesting against the state-run Center for Cinema Production: together with actor
Rebengiuc was also the spokesman of a 2009 campaign launched by Realitatea TV and titled Noi vrem respect ("We Demand Respect"). The initiative announced as its goal the change of morals and attitudes among the Romanians: "Cheekiness will not turn one into God, money will not make us masters, ignorance does not make us blessed."[40] In a promotional video headlining the campaign, Rebengiuc himself stated that he felt solidarity with the Realitatea vision, being motivated in this by what he saw as a general decrease in standards within Romanian society.[40] His participation in the project was the topic of criticism: commentators argued that the station was using the slogan in the political battle leading up to the 2009 election, and thus reflected its patron Sorin Ovidiu Vântu's option for the anti-Băsescu parties and trade unions.[41][42][43] Journalist and academic Bogdan Iancu, who entered a polemic with Realitatea over the issue of covert political support, suggested that there was a contrast between Rebengiuc's stance during the Revolution (the toilet paper episode) and his lending credibility to what "reeks of manipulation intelligently packaged in the suave discourse of social responsibility".[41] In contrast, writer Cezar Paul-Bădescu found the campaign "laudable", describing it the start of a "moral revolution" and believing Rebengiuc's role to have been "as usual, extraordinary", but noting that Realitatea had itself failed at maintaining the journalistic standard it implicitly advertised.[44]
Selected filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1961 | Darclee | ||
1965 | Forest of the Hanged | ||
1978 | The Prophet, the Gold and the Transylvanians | ||
1981 | Carnival Scenes | ||
1983 | Sand Cliffs | ||
1987 | The Moromete Family | ||
1992 | The Oak | ||
1993 | The Earth's Most Beloved Son | ||
1996 | Too Late | ||
1997 | The Man of the Day | ||
1998 | Next Stop Paradise | ||
2003 | Niki and Flo | ||
2007 | Cu un pas înainte | Paul Steiner | |
2008 | Silent Wedding | ||
2009 | Up | Charles F. Muntz | Romanian version |
2010 | Medal of Honor | Ion | |
Tuesday, After Christmas | |||
2011 | The Phantom Father | ||
2013 | The Japanese Dog | ||
2014 | O nouă viață | Nae's father | |
2015 | Aferim! | ||
2017 | Octav | ||
2017 | Charleston | Ioana's father | |
2019 | Sacrificiul | Titel Puică | |
2021 | Pup-o, mă! 2: Mireasa Nebună | The old peasant | |
2021 | Strada Speranței | The old man |
References
- ^ a b c d e f (in Romanian) Evelyn Badea, "Victor Rebengiuc - talent și dăruire" Archived 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine, in Adevărul, 16 June 2006
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s (in Romanian) Simona Chiţan, "Victor Rebengiuc: 'Mă lupt încă cu morile de vânt' ", in Evenimentul Zilei, 25 May 2008
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af (in Romanian) Ovidiu Șimonca, " 'Încă nu mă consider un actor mare' " (interview with Victor Rebengiuc), in Observator Cultural, Nr. 412, February 2008
- ^ Dilema Veche, Vol. II, Nr. 94, November 2005
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o (in Romanian) Laura Popescu, "Victor Rebengiuc: 'Eu sunt acolo undeva, în spate, curentul electric care le animă' ", at LiterNet (originally published in Ghidul HBO, November 2004); retrieved 29 May 2008
- ^ ISBN 0-415-14162-1
- ^ a b c d e f (in Romanian) Simona Chiţan, "Prietenia lui Rebengiuc", in Evenimentul Zilei, 13 December 2009
- ^ Romanian Cinema: A Journey, joint press release of the Romanian Cultural Institute and Ciné Lumière, London, 18 October 2007, p.2
- ^ a b c d e f g (in Romanian) Irina Margareta Nistor, "Interviu cu Victor Rebengiuc şi Mariana Mihuţ - Cei doi magnifici" Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine, at LiterNet; retrieved 28 May 2008
- ^ a b c d (in Romanian) Bulandra Theater profile Archived 2006-03-24 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 29 May 2008
- ^ (in Romanian) Lucian Pintilie, "Revizorul" Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine, in Revista 22, Nr. 700, August 2003
- ^ (in Romanian) Emil Berdeli, "De ce te urmăreşte Securitatea, Mitică? De frică, monşer" Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine, in Gardianul, 12 May 2008
- ^ "Dreptate în lanţuri"[permanent dead link], Variety profile; retrieved 29 May 2008
- România Liberă, January 2004); retrieved 29 May 2008
- ^ "Pădureanca"[permanent dead link], Variety profile; retrieved 29 May 2008
- ^ România Liberă, 19 May 2006
- ^ "Terminus Paradis"[permanent dead link], Variety profile; retrieved 29 May 2008
- ^ "Too Late"[permanent dead link], Variety profile; retrieved 29 May 2008
- ^ (in Romanian) Larisa Ionescu, "Tandreţea lăcustelor sau viaţa României postrevoluţionare"[permanent dead link], in Gardianul, 12 March 2003
- ^ (in Romanian) Valentin Dumirescu, "Cum se face; rolurile reprezentării" Archived 2005-10-28 at the Wayback Machine, in Revista 22, Nr. 793, May 2005
- ^ (in Romanian) "Inimă de câine, de Bulgakov, la Teatrul Katona Jozef din Budapesta", Mediafax, 30 October 2007
- ^ (in Romanian) "Marii actori aleg în continuare scena şi publicul, nu pensia" Archived 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine, Realitatea TV release, 26 October 2007
- ^ a b (in Romanian) Simona Chiţan, "Întoarcerea lui Rebengiuc", in Evenimentul Zilei, 3 April 2008
- ^ a b (in Romanian) "Victor Rebengiuc - premiul UNITER pentru cel mai bun actor în rol principal", Mediafax, 27 April 2009
- ^ (in Romanian) "Dinică, Rebengiuc şi Moraru au primit titlul de Doctor Honoris Causa al UNATC" Archived 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine, Realitatea TV release, 30 January 2008
- ^ (in Romanian) "Valentina Pelinel debutează în cinematografie", Mediafax, 4 January 2008
- ^ (in Romanian) "Primul film regizat de Horaţiu Mălăele, Nunta mută, finalizat în martie", Mediafax, 4 January 2008
- ^ (in Romanian) "Lansarea audiobook-ului Moartea lui Ivan Ilici de Lev Tolstoi, în lectura lui Victor Rebengiuc" Archived 2008-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, Mediafax, 25 January 2008
- ^ a b (in Romanian) Silvia Dumitrache, "Un spectacol viu şi dinamic, tensionat şi tulburător", in Observator Cultural, Nr. 493, September 2009
- ^ Hotnews.ro, 5 June 2010; retrieved 8 June 2010
- ^ a b (in Romanian) Alexandra Olivotto, "Victor Rebengiuc, noul idol al Festivalului de Film de la Cluj", in Evenimentul Zilei, 3 June 2010
- ^ (in Romanian) "Victor Rebengiuc şi Andrei Terian, câştigători ai premiilor Prometheus 2010", Mediafax, 14 October 2010
- ^ a b (in Romanian) Dan Boicea, "Război între diavol şi Dumnezeu", in Adevărul Literar şi Artistic, 8 December 2009
- Dilema Veche, Nr. 382: Dosar: De la regalitate la realitate, June 2011
- ^ a b (in Romanian) Răzvan Brăileanu, "Disidență, revoluție, GDS" (interview with Radu Filipescu) Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine, in Revista 22, Nr. 723, January 2004
- ISBN 2-7351-1084-2
- ^ (in Romanian) "Apel către președinte" Archived 2011-02-18 at the Wayback Machine, Realitatea TV release, 11 March 2006
- ^ a b c (in Romanian) "Scrisoarea celor 50 de intelectuali" Archived 2007-04-03 at the Wayback Machine, Realitatea TV release, 7 February 2007
- ^ (in Romanian) "Protest online împotriva concursului CNC" Archived 2011-05-22 at the Wayback Machine, Realitatea TV release, 13 January 2007
- ^ a b (in Romanian) "Actorul Victor Rebengiuc susţine campania Noi vrem respect", Realitatea TV, 1 October 2009; retrieved 24 December 2009
- ^ Dilema Veche, Vol. VI, Nr. 297, October 2009
- ^ (in Romanian) Horia-Roman Patapievici, "Noi vrem respect!", in Evenimentul Zilei, 8 October 2009
- ^ (in Romanian) Dan Tapalagă, "Vântu, sindicaliștii și respectul", HotNews, 7 October 2009; retrieved 24 December 2009
- Dilema Veche, Vol. VI, Nr. 295, October 2009
External links
- Victor Rebengiuc at IMDb
- (in Romanian) Profile at the National Theater Bucharest