In a luxurious Transylvanian manor house at the end of the 19th century, wealthy landowner Nikolai invites a group of distinguished guests – a decorated general, a politician, members of the aristocracy – to consider the world and their place within it. As the hours pass, the discussions grow more heated, and the host and his guests gradually reveal their different cultural standpoints and moral characters.

The latest tour de force from Cristi Puiu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Sieranevada) and the winner of the Best Director prize in the Encounters section at the 2020 Berlinale, Malmkrog unfolds as an exercise in aesthetics, a comprehensive journey through the history of contemporary philosophy and thought. Taking inspiration from celebrated Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov’s War and Christianity: Three Conversations, Puiu offers an exquisitely orchestrated chamber drama of tableau vivant aesthetics that recreates an entire era – and captures the intrinsic arrogance of its ruling classes.