Burebista

Plot synopsis:
The film begins with a shot of a rocky outcrop, shaped like a human head, apparently gazing out over the Carpathian Mountains. A voice-over explains that the expansion of Roman power is beginning to threaten the borders of the kingdom of Dacia under its "enigmatic" ruler Burebista.
The high priest Deceneus convinces the Dacian lords to swear allegiance to Burebista as king of a unified Dacia. He promises to keep Dacia free from the increasing power of Rome. A rigorous regime of military training is introduced by the king. Some refugees from Rome arrive, including Calopor, a former gladiator who had served with Spartacus. Burebista welcomes them, asking Calopor to tell him about Spartacus' exploits. Burebista also learns about the ambition of the young Julius Caesar, and his rivalry with Pompey.
Messengers from Mithridates VI of Pontus and from Greece arrive to ask Burebista's help in resisting the advance of Roman forces. Burebista agrees to help. Calopor is sent to assess the situation in Greece. While there he meets his former girlfriend Lydia, who has been forced to marry the arrogant Roman aristocrat Gaius Antonius Hybrida. Hybrida demands games in his honour. Calopor takes part as a gladiator, planning to kill Hybrida. When Calopor throws a trident at him, Hybrida pulls Lydia in front of his body, and the trident kills her. Horrified, Calopor leaps up and stabs Hybrida to death, giving the signal for a general uprising. With the Romans in confusion, Burebista launches his cavalry against their retreating forces, defeating them.
Burebista celebrates his victory with a festival in Dacia. He learns from a messenger that Mithridates has killed himself to avoid being captured by Pompey, but is given a letter in which the dead king encourages him to continue to resist Rome. Another letter also arrives, from Pompey. Pompey is now asking Burebista's help to curb Caesar. He ponders trouble to come.
The Boii, a Celtic tribe, raids Dacia, capturing and enslaving villagers with the help of a Dacian traitor. Burebista discovers that the raid succeeded because guards were drunk. He orders the destruction of grapevines. He attempts to negotiate with the Celts, telling them that Dacians and Celts need to cooperate to preserve independence from Rome. The Celts, influenced by their fanatical Druid Breza, refuse to negotiate. Forced to fight, Burebista is worried that the war will weaken both sides, giving Caesar an opportunity to invade. The Celts, meanwhile, threaten to kill all their Dacian captives. Deceneus tells Burebista that there will soon be a solar eclipse. Burebista decides to use this to frighten the Celts with the power of the Dacian gods. He tells them that the gods will darken the sun. The eclipse terrifies the Celts, who agree to surrender the captives. Breza flees, pursued by Calopor. When Calopor follows him into a building, Breza stabs him in the back. As he dies, Calopor reveals that he is Burebista's illegitimate son. Breza is captured and executed by being thrown into an altar pyre of the goddess Epona.
With Celtic tribes now acknowledging his rule, Burebista has created a strong kingdom. In Gaul, Caesar announces that he has conquered the country and absorbed it into the Roman empire. After he has defeated Pompey, he will proceed to absorb Dacia too. As, some time later, Burebista ponders Caesar's vow, he is told that the threat is over — Caesar has been assassinated. Deceneus speaks of the transience of life. Burebista says that all kings must die, but the unity of the nation he has created should be immortal. He gazes over the mountains, and his head fades into a merge with the rock with which the film began.

Tags: violence

Review:
Great historical movie!. Great story and acting really made me enjoy this movie. I especially liked the performance of George Constantin as Burebista. I did not know much about Dacian history before seeing this movie. I was impressed about the high level of civilization and their diplomatic skills. Even if the Romans were considered a great power, the Dacian were not far behind. Their main concern was to defend the land and live happily.After seeing this movie I decided to visit the ancient Dacian sites in Orastie Mountains, Romania. One of them, Sarmisegetusa, was the main Dacian fortress.I think it's a must-see for all Romanians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Macedonians. It's very important to know your roots.. Between political command and history. The measure is the first virtue of this movie. In the time of Comunist mythology, Burebista is piece of good sense. The secret - extraordinary cast. And the science of George Constantin to explore every nuance of his character. The second - the director skill to say a story without making big compromises. Because the danger was not only fake vision about history of Ceaușescu regime but, in same measure, basic fact of little informations about Dacia earliest evolution. Result - many data of European facts, recreation of Dacian life style, images of a civilization and sketches of Roman Empire.A movie about power of a people and the fight for protect freedom. About Romanian roots and way to define itself. Artistic message of basic values. Not very bad for its time.. beautiful. first - for the science to escape from the pressure of political command for give a beautiful fresco of the Dacia of Burebista and its political connections, life style and foreign context. the merit could not be reduced at the director or actors but it includes the scientific consultants.result - an interesting film, far to be the best portrait of the period, full of ideological crumbs but decent and , in special way, real beautiful.