Entertainment

‘Whistle’ a humdinger

Let’s start the new year with a toast to Film Movement, the dis tributor of foreign-language films that we otherwise might never enjoy.

Its latest offering is “If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle,” a lean and mean prison drama from the Romanian new wave.

Silviu is an 18-year-old inmate in a prison for juveniles who, after serving his four-year sentence, is scheduled to go free in a matter of days. But two unexpected events conspire against him.

One is a visit by his kid brother, who brings disconcerting news from their vagabond mother, whom Silviu faults for abandoning him.

Second is the arrival at the prison of Ana, a social worker Silviu is immediately attracted to, even though he knows they come from different worlds. But he’d settle for just having a coffee with her.

“Whistle” is the feature debut of director-writer Florin Serban, who studied at Columbia University and lists among his influences Robert Bresson, Pedro Almodovar, Bruno Dumont and Ken Loach.

Serban’s budget was tiny, but he seems to have gotten the most out of each leu, as Romanian currency is called.

At the forefront are sincere performances by George Pistereanu as Silviu and Ada Condeescu as Ana.

Both are newcomers to the screen, and their work is especially impressive because they’re still in film school.

My crystal ball sees good times ahead for both actors, as well as Serban.