The unforgettable story of universal childhood: the magic of director Elisabeta Bostan

For more than 60 years, Elisabeta Bostan has been the name associated with Romanian children's films. Characters like Nică and Veronica came to life on the big screen under the baton of the director from Bacău.

When we talk about the director Elisabeta Bostan, we talk about an impressive legacy of cinematic masterpieces dedicated to children. Her films have crossed entire generations and have become intrinsic parts of the childhood experience in Romania and beyond. She thus became the symbol of the mother of the cinematic childhood universe. That mother full of wonders, on film sets, on small and big screens, and this is confirmed even by the actors with whom the director Elisabeta Bostan worked.

93 years ago, spring had a gift for life, cinema and childhood. On March 1, 1931, in the city of Buhuși, Bacău county, a child was born who would, in years to come, be a big name in Romanian cinema: Elisabeta Bostan. From the beginning, it was as if her destiny was woven with the thin thread of magic and storytelling, preparing her for the role of mother of the childhood universe through film.

“I didn't want to leave the cinema, for the pleasure of being… And I wanted to look behind the screen, to see where the actors were and where Mickey Mouse was. And we were walking with our hands on the screen. That was the first sign that cinema resonated with my soul“, says the director Elisabeta Bostan.

He attended high school in Piatra Neamț, at the “Calistrat Hogaș” College, and continued with his university studies, which he attended at the “IL Caragiale” Institute of Theater and Cinematography in Bucharest, between 1950-1954. In 1961, from the talent and dedication to cinematography of Elisabeta Bostan, “The Kid” was born, which marked the debut in the artistic fiction film.

Heroes on the big screen

“Pustiul” was the beginning of what would mean the universe of children's films, the one in which the heroes Veronica, Motanul Dănilă, Zâna cea buănă, Nică, Campioana, Năică, Fram, Un saltimbanc la Polul North were born. Through her innovative approach and attention to detail, Elisabeta Bostan created cinematic works of art that not only brought joy, but also stimulated children's imagination and development.

The relevance of the director's work is also based on what is called an openness to such a look at cinema of this type, and as an example we have the film “Veronica” (1972). In 1973, one year after its release, the film would bring Romanian cinema several prestigious awards: the Golden Dolphin Grand Prize at the Tehran International Film Festival; Special Jury Prize at the Gijon International Film Festival (Spain), Best Musical Film Award at the Moscow International Film Festival.

Thus, for the first time in the history of Romanian cinema, the director Elisabeta Bostan managed to impose the musical film as an internationally recognized artistic value. In this context, it is not surprising that the film was seen by 3,620,176 spectators in cinemas in Romania, as evidenced by a situation of the number of spectators recorded by Romanian films from the date of the premiere until December 31, 2014, compiled by the National Center of Cinematography.

Half a century, one film, several generations

At the same time, throughout the 50 years since its release, the movie “Veronica” has been seen on the big and small screens, but also told and praised in books. “The appearance of this film in 1972 was a real explosion of color, dance, music, Veronica being unique at that time. Elisabeta Bostan then created a universe of childhood valid even today. This eternally young film is still seen today by children and their parents. Songs and musical themes are hummed even now. In 1972, the musical for children was practically born in the Romanian cinema. Also then, a child, Lulu Mihăescu, became an international star, being compared to Shirley Temple“, as shown in “Subjective Dictionary of Romanian Film Achievements”, by Tudor Caranfil.

“Veronica! Veronica! Good and decent girl”

In the enchanted world created by Elisabeta Bostan, Veronica is not just a character, but an emblem of purity and courage, a mirror of the fearless spirit of childhood. “Veronica, Veronica/ Good and kind girl” are familiar lines to children of all ages. Great actors, such as Dem Rădulescu, Margareta Pâslaru, Vasilica Tastaman, George Mihăiţă, dancers such as Cornel Patrichi and Thuri Ştefan have built together with Elisabeta Bostan a land of happiness. And, as the actor George Mihăiţă said, who was the Golden Mouse in “Veronica”, “we are all part of a story, of a magic created by the director Elisabeta Bostan”.

“The director always counted on the children's ability to enter this universe of miracles with pleasure, fully integrating themselves into the narrative joints of the story. In an attempt to save “a kind-hearted duckling/imprisoned by the evil fox”, Veronica makes allies of those who help her generously. And who will jump to her support when the Fox and her friend Motanul kidnap her, taking her into the “stagecoach” driven by Dănilă“, wrote Titus Vîjeu in “Elisabeta Bostan, imaginarium or film in the kingdom of candor”.

The director Elisabeta Bostan received almost 60 national and international awards, to which, in 2009, the Gopo Award for her entire activity was added. It received applause and reverence for its admirable cinematic oeuvre spanning half a century. Added to all this are two official awards from the “CineCopilăria de Elisabeta Bostan” festival team, which takes place annually in the director's hometown – Buhuși. From 2022, from the first edition of the unique festival in the country, the House of Culture in Buhuși bears the name of the great director Elisabeta Bostan.

Mother and champion in the film world

“Ask me where my happiness was. Only when I worked. Only in the work I did. In the rush I had. Step by step. Drop by drop. And I believe that this is the duty of our existence on Earth: to do our duty to the end, with passion and with love. And with the joy of living, because life is very beautiful, with its ups and downs. With her surprises. She is very beautiful. Just know how to live it“, emphasizes the director Elisabeta Bostan herself.

In the world of children's cinema, Elisabeta Bostan was a champion and a mother. And the whole world of the film would change his life, becoming a real mother to his champion – Izabela Bostan. During the search for the role of Corina Tănase in the film “Campioana”, Elisabeta Bostan found Izabela at Deva – a search not by chance, because, after her debut in the film, Izabela becomes Elisabeta Bostan's adopted daughter.

“Elisabeta Bostan, when she passes through a place, she changes destinies. My destiny changed radically. I will be grateful to him for a lifetime, and a lifetime is not enough for me, because this is our love, without endst”, confesses actress Izabela Bostan, daughter of director Elisabeta Bostan.

The memories of the child from the village

Elisabeta Bostan managed to recreate the authentic atmosphere of the Romanian village. It happened more than 60 years ago, when the director gathered on the set all the magic of Ion Creangă's stories, which she put under the spotlight, through the talent of the actors – well-known at the time, or inexperienced children, but who wrote like that history.

He didn't choose it by chance, as the actor who played Stefan a Petrai's Nică tells us. Ion Bocancea is now 73 years old and tells us that, almost 60 years after the release of the film, he is glad that his phone is ringing. Although so many years have passed, he remembers in detail how he came to be selected for the role of his life.

She was 13 years old and in the 6th grade at the school in Bicaz, and the director Elisabeta Bostan and Doru Năstase, who seconded her, were going around Moldova to find children to play in the film. During the discussion with the “Weekend Adevărul” reporter, the actor's niece, with whom he saw and re-watched “Childhood Memories” several times, can be heard in the background.

“My niece asks me about each individual sequence, she asked me why I went to steal and I explained to her that it was a movie. (…) I liked it a lot. I really lived the memories. It was my childhood. So all the situations that were in the movie were part of my life. I lived them. I knew them. It seemed normal to me. Compared to other children who stayed in the city, I was climbing, I was riding a horse. The only thing more special was this: walking naked in front of people. Especially at the pre-selection, at the Village Museum, where it was full of people. There were ten of us and we didn't want to undress. In the end I said that no one knows me anyway“, actor Ion Bocancea confesses to “Weekend Adevărul”.

Exceptional cast

The exterior filming was done in the area of ​​Neamţ and Suceava counties. It was filmed in the summer and autumn of 1964, as well as from December 1964 until February 1965. The interior shots were filmed at the National Cinematography Center in Buftea. “Mrs. Bostan – an extraordinary woman. Second director was Doru Năstase – a man of value. I spoke to Mrs. Bostan recently and she praised me so much that I started to cry, I couldn't believe she was talking about me. Beautiful memories with some special people. I was with Ștefan Ciubotărașu, Emanoil Petruț, Eliza Petrăchescu, Corina Constantinescu… great actors. Emeritus Artists. High values. The past remains a very beautiful memory“, the actor tells us.

He points out that he never took advantage of the celebrity that the role gave him in this film. Over the years, he also played in plays, at Piatra Neamţ and Bacău, but the role of Nică was the role of his life. “I had the great honor of being in the lead role. I had done puppet theater since the first grades of school. Childhood memories are the memories of the universal child. Every time I watch the movie again, I always say that I could have done better“, adds Ion Bocancea.

He also has a message for the one who initiated him in this field of cinematography and who chose him from a total number of 12,000 children who were at the preselections for this film: “Congratulations on all your work! Mrs. Bostan had great courage in everything she did. And only through courage and passion could he create such a work, with so many films“, concludes the actor Ion Bocancea.