The most acclaimed “New Wave” in cinema today is in full flourish in this picaresque quintet of stories from Romania's brightest new directors, led by Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days). Each about twenty minutes long, these five delightfully absurdist tales of common life during the dictatorial era of Nicolae Ceauşescu (termed “the golden age” in communist propaganda) underline the strange reality and stranger rhetoric associated with living in a repressive society. State photographers forced to doctor the dictator's images (to make him taller than a “capitalist” politician); a family trying to kill a Christmas pig without their neighbors knowing; citizens who dream of getting ahead one egg, bottle, or carnival ride at a time: these tales showcase a state of fear and distrust, but also capture the laughter and camaraderie that kept people going. Mungiu directed two of the five episodes, but, to better capture the era's feeling of collectivization (and uncertainty), none of the tales are credited to individuals.