The Death of Mr. Lazarescu: between religious iconography, possible plausibility and corporeality

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1458

Keywords:

body, realist, Romanian film, religious iconography, film analysis, realism, illness, discrimination

Abstract

Introduction: The plot of La muerte del señor Lazarescu unfolds during a night in which the protagonist – an elderly man with alcohol-related health problems – decides to call the hospital emergency services. His journey to hospital becomes a really terrible ordeal from pillar to post in which the fall of Romania is brought to light, as the country shifts towards a democratic system, and widespread corruption becomes the verdict of a society that has not managed to leave behind its bad habits from the past. Methodology: We apply the semiotic perspective to textual analysis methodology.  In addition, we will define the aforementioned analysis in realist film theory. Results: In the film analysis, we focus on the beginning of the film where importance is given to the matter of the body and the peculiarity of the main character, as well as the times when references to religious iconography are highlighted, such as those at the end of the film. Discussions: The film implies an in-depth analysis of Romanian post-communist society from a realist perspective.

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Author Biography

Francisco Miguel Ayuso Ros, University of Valencia

PhD in Audiovisual Communication, with a thesis on “The new wave of Romanian cinema”, Master in Interculturality and Communication Policies in the Information Society. Associate Professor in Audiovisual Communication at the University of Valencia. His publications include the following: (2022) “Mirada y denuncia. Social control and moral sanction in 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days”, Visual Review; (2021) ”En torno al cine nacional. The case of 'The new wave of Romanian cinema'”, EU-topias, 21 and (2022) ”Considerations on the concept of terrorism. From semantic controversies to issues of mise-en-scène in contemporary cinema”, Open Area 22(3).

References

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Ayuso Ros, F. M. (2021). En torno al “cine nacional”. El caso de la “nueva ola del cine rumano”. EU-topías: revista de interculturalidad, comunicación y estudios europeos, 21, 65-84. https://ojs.uv.es/index.php/eutopias/article/view/21264 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/eutopias.21.21264

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Published

2025-02-11

How to Cite

Ayuso Ros, F. M. (2025). The Death of Mr. Lazarescu: between religious iconography, possible plausibility and corporeality. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 10, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1458

Issue

Vol. 10 (2025)

Section

Innovation through Human Artistic Expressions

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Francisco Miguel Ayuso Ros

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