Philanthropy

Filantropica (alternate spellings Philanthropy, Philanthropique) is a 2002 Romanian dark comedy film directed by Nae Caranfil and starring Mircea Diaconu. Critically acclaimed and considered a landmark film of the Romanian New Wave, it is described as a "comedy about corruption and greed and how to get a free meal in fancy restaurants". Caranfil, the director, has a cameo appearance as a karaoke singer, singing Frank Sinatra's "My Way". Plot Ovidiu Gorea is a jaded high-school teacher and novice writer in his mid-40s who is still living with his parents. He has just published a collection of short stories titled Nobody Dies for Free that the bookstores reject because no one buys it. The high school principal asks him to deal with a problem-student, Robert. Ovidiu has Robert call one of his parents for talks, but the boy sends his sister, Diana, a gorgeous teenager, instead. Ovidiu is smitten. He convinces Diana to go on a date with him, but what he thinks will be a quiet evening over coffee turns into a bar-hopping binge that leaves him nearly broke.