Good news, cinephiles: one of 2023’s buzziest movies now has an official theatrical release date. Radu Jude‘s “Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World” hits theaters next month. And there are several good reasons that MUBI snatched Jude’s film up for distribution. For one, it won the Special Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival last year, where it had its world premiere. But after other screenings at TIFF and NYFF, “Do Not Expect Too Much…” also appeared on several yearly top 10 lists for critics and publications. Don’t believe us? Cahiers du Cinema ranked it #7 on their Best Of 2023 list, while John Waters placed it #10 on his.
So what’s “Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World” about? The two-pronged essay film follows separate but entwined narratives, as a PA prepares to shoot a workplace safety video in Bucharest.
Here’s an official synopsis for the film, courtesy of MUBI:
An overworked and underpaid production assistant must drive around the city of Bucharest to film the casting for a workplace safety video commissioned by a multinational company. When one of her interviewees makes a statement that ignites a scandal she is forced to re-invent the whole story.
“Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World” stars Ilinca Manolache, Ovidiu Pîrsan, Nina Hoss, Dorina Lazar, and Katia Pascariu. Jude writes and directs the film, his first feature since 2021’s “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn.” Ada Solomon and Adrian Sitaru produce the film.
The Playlist’s review of “Do Not Expect Too Much…” out of NYFF says the film “represents a refinement of [Jude’s] method—the themes originate organically and are seamlessly embedded in the narrative … [and] Manolache anchors the film in a star-making performance of effortless charisma.”
“Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World” hits theaters on March 22. Watch a trailer for the film below.