Romanian film 'Y' explores moral dilemmas of international adoptions

Romanian actors Maria Popistașu and Alex Baciu have ventured into directing with their debut feature film, "Y," which delves into the harrowing conditions of Romanian orphans in the post-communist era and the subsequent international adoptions. The film, a recipient of the Romanian Film Days Award for Best Feature Film at TIFF.25, tackles the moral complexities surrounding these adoptions from the perspective of a character benefiting from wealth accumulated through the exploitation of children's plight.

Popistașu, a recognized actress in the New Romanian Cinema movement, co-wrote and directed "Y" with her husband, screenwriter Alexandru Baciu. Baciu shared that the film's subject matter was deeply influenced by their own experiences as parents, stating, "If we didn't have children, I don't think this subject would have been born."

The narrative centers on Olga, portrayed by Popistașu, who uncovers a dark secret about her family's prosperity. Her grandmother, Ileana, a successful lawyer, confesses on her deathbed to being involved in numerous irregular international adoption cases after the Romanian Revolution, carrying the burden of the fate of many children.

Driven by a need to find peace and uncover the truth, Olga investigates her family's past. The film poses a profound question to the audience: "Are we really as good as we sometimes imagine ourselves to be?" Popistașu and Baciu merged their interests, a semi-autobiographical story about responsibility versus hypocrisy in the context of financial comfort, with a narrative exploring chance and heredity, to create a work that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about societal benefits derived from past injustices.