Plot Summary

Set in the final years of the communist regime in Romania, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days offers a deeply personal and harrowing glimpse into everyday life under oppression. Developed as part of the “Tales from the Golden Age” project, the film avoids overt political messaging and instead reveals the human cost of the era through intimate storytelling.

The narrative follows two university students, Otilia and Gabita, portrayed by Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu. Living together in a dormitory in a small provincial town, their lives take a drastic turn when Gabita faces an unwanted pregnancy. With abortion strictly illegal at the time, the two young women are forced into a desperate and dangerous situation.

Determined to help her friend at any cost, Otilia arranges for an illegal procedure at a low-cost hotel. As they prepare for the arrival of the enigmatic abortionist, Mr. Bebe, tension steadily escalates. What begins as a secret plan quickly spirals into a moral and emotional ordeal, exposing the harsh realities, fear, and silent compromises imposed by a repressive system.

Through its minimalist style and unflinching realism, the film captures not only a single day in the lives of its protagonists, but also the broader atmosphere of anxiety, control, and survival that defined a generation.