Aurora
dir. Cristi Puiu · 2011
Plot
An apartment kitchen: a man and a woman discuss Little Red Riding Hood, their voices hushed, mindful of waking the little girl sleeping next room. Waste land on the city outskirts: behind a line of abandoned trailers, the man silently watches what seems to be a family. The same city, the same man: driving through traffic with two hand-made firing pins for a hunting rifle. The man is 42 years old, his name - Viorel. Troubled by obscure thoughts, he drives across the city to a destination known only to him.
Why watch
"Aurora" invites viewers into the fragmented psyche of a man grappling with the weight of his existence, set against the backdrop of a stark urban landscape. With its contemplative pacing and haunting visuals, this film is a meditation on the quiet despair of midlife and the unspoken burdens we carry.
Talking points
- the impact of urban life on mental health
- the nature of existential crises
- the role of silence in communication
- the symbolism of Little Red Riding Hood in adult life