Watch I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians

"I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians" is a Romanian drama film released in 2018. The film is directed and written by Radu Jude and stars Ioana Iacob, Alex Bogdan, and Alexandru Dabija in the lead roles. The story of the film revolves around a young theater director named Mariana (Ioana Iacob), who is hired to direct a play about a historical event that took place in her town during World War II. The event in question is known as the Odessa Massacre, where Romanian soldiers killed thousands of Jews and Roma people in the city of Odessa.

Mariana is passionate about the project and believes that it is important to confront Romania's dark past and remember the victims of the Odessa Massacre. However, as rehearsals begin, she faces resistance from the actors, who are all skeptical about the play's message and whether it will offend Romania's national pride.

Despite these challenges, Mariana persists and tries to convince her team of actors to take the play seriously. Along the way, she also discovers a hidden agenda among some of the people involved in the local government and is faced with the difficult decision of whether to compromise her artistic vision.

The film uses the play as a platform to explore themes of nationalism, historical revisionism, and the role of art in ensuring that the past is not forgotten. It also delves into the complexities of Romania's relationship with its own history and the country's struggle to come to terms with the atrocities committed during World War II.

The performances in the film are exceptional, with Ioana Iacob delivering a standout performance as Mariana. She exudes passion and conviction in her role, effectively conveying the weight of the responsibility she feels to honor the victims of the Odessa Massacre.

The supporting cast also delivers strong performances, with Alex Bogdan and Alexandru Dabija standing out as two of the actors in the play who are most resistant to Mariana's vision. Their characters serve as a representation of the internal struggle that many Romanians face when grappling with their country's past.

The film is shot in a style reminiscent of documentary filmmaking, with many scenes featuring long takes and naturalistic dialogue. This style adds to the film's overall realism and gives the audience an unfiltered view of the characters and their motivations.

Overall, "I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians" is a thought-provoking and powerful film that forces its audience to confront uncomfortable truths about Romania's past. Radu Jude's direction is masterful, and the performances are uniformly excellent. The film is a must-see for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of national identity and the role of art in remembering the past.

I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians is a 2019 history movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 81.