Sieranevada ★★★☆☆

One of the most frustrating times of the year for many is the Christmas period; Not because of the incessant jingles or the freezing weather, but rather, the amount of time one is expected to spend with their family. Despite the presumed love we hold for them, they can at times be oh so excruciating to be around, whether it be down to the polarising political views, general food-related arguments or the grating personalities one can only stand once a year.

Sieraneveda, from Cristi Puiu in his seventh directorial outing, is not a Christmas movie. But with its drawing on family tension and feuds for its comedy and drama and its cold, grey, wintery look, you’d be forgiven for thinking so. The film is a 173-minute glimpse into the assorted nuts that make up the family of doctor Lary (Mimi Branescu), as they gather for an afternoon of food and pleasantries on the anniversary of Larys fathers death. Events do not unfold quite the way they expected. Nobody’s allowed to eat because the bishop is late, Aunt Ofelia is crying because her husband has been a neglectful arse and Sebi’s suit is too large. The drama swings from the surreal, when the family tells off Cami for bringing in her drunken, possibly stoned, friend; to the uncomfortable, when Evelina makes Sandra cry with her stoic political stance; to the heartbreaking, when Lary reminisces about his father.

Unfortunately the film also spends a great deal of time in the dull. It plays out in almost real time, forcing us to endure the purgatory-like state the characters do, with excruciating tediousness; The camera is static, claustrophobic, lingering in minutes-long takes without cut, feeling as inert as the plot. The upside to this is that it forms the platform for the laughs, and those come in abundance. Branescu is excellent in his dead-pan humour, bringing levity to even the most tense of scenes. Nobody is above his mockery, not even himself. When a complex and disorienting religious ritual plays out, he is there to have fun; when we are subjected to a barrage of names and faces, he introduces everyone with a joke; and when a husband and wife’s horribly large argument gets out of hand and their son leaves out of frustration, Lary hangs around with that infuriatingly cheeky grin to make everyone realise quite how silly they’re being. If we all had a Lary at our Christmases, he would be the one to remind us that we’re there to enjoy ourselves and be with each other.

The comedy is largely the best part of Sieranevada. The emotional drama doesn’t really reach any kind of climax, the context of recent Charlie Hebdo attacks doesn’t have any bearing on the plot or carry much weight, and the nearly-3-hour length is far from justified. However the film is filled to the brim with poignant moments, whether they be about recognising the banality of life after a death; about how the most pedantic of traditions can be a comfort; or about understanding there is always room for laughter even during the most intense family squabbles. For all of its faults, Sieranevda will leave you ponderous and amused and, as Lary knows, that is a feeling worth basking in.