Victor Rebengiuc (; known in full as Victor-George Rebengiuc; born 10 February 1933) is a

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

n film and stage actor, also known as a

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Bulandra Theater company, acting in more than 200 roles on that stage alone. Having had his breakthrough performance with

Liviu Ciulei Liviu Ciulei (; 7 July 1923 – 24 October 2011) was a Romanian theater and film director, film writer, actor, architect, educator, costume and set designer. During a career spanning over 50 years, he was described by ''Newsweek'' as "one of the b ...

's '' The Forest of the Hanged'', Rebengiuc became a major figure in Romanian cinema, and became especially known for his 1986 appearance in Stere Gulea's '' Moromeții''. He also starred in films by Dan Pița ('' Tănase Scatiu''; '' Dreptate în lanţuri''; '' Faleze de nisip''; '' The Man of the Day'') and Lucian Pintilie ('' De ce trag clopotele, Mitică?''; '' Balanţa''; ''

Too Late Too Late may refer to: Film and theatre *'' Too Late (1914 film)'', American film written by Winifred Dunn * ''Too Late'' (1996 film), a Romanian film * ''Too Late'' (2000 film), a Portuguese film * ''Too Late'' (2015 film), an American film * ' ...

''; ''

Last Stop Paradise A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs and have been made from various materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, and ...

''; ''

Niki and Flo Niki and Flo ( ro, Niki Ardelean, colonel în rezerva ) is a 2003 Romanian drama film directed by Lucian Pintilie. Cast * Victor Rebengiuc - Niki Ardelean * Răzvan Vasilescu - Florian (Flo) Tufaru * Coca Bloos - Poucha Ardelean * Mihaela Car ...

''; ''

Tertium non datur In logic, the law of excluded middle (or the principle of excluded middle) states that for every proposition, either this proposition or its negation is true. It is one of the so-called three laws of thought, along with the law of noncontradi ...

''). Rebengiuc was celebrated for his stage performances, appearing in plays directed by, among others, Ciulei,

Radu Penciulescu Radu may refer to: People * Radu (given name), Romanian masculine given name * Radu (surname), Romanian surname * Rulers of Wallachia, see * Prince Radu of Romania (born 1960), disputed pretender to the former Romanian throne Other uses * Radu ( ...

Andrei Şerban Andrei Șerban (born June 21, 1943) is a Romanian-American theater director. A major name in twentieth-century theater, he is renowned for his innovative and iconoclastic interpretations and stagings. In 1992 he became Professor of Theater at the ...

, Cătălina Buzoianu,

Yuri Kordonsky Yuri Kordonsky (russian: Юрий Михайлович Кордонский) (born 17 October 1966) is a Russian-born theatre actor and director, now a United States citizen and a professor of directing at the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Con ...

Gábor Tompa Gábor Tompa (born 8 August 1957 in Târgu Mureș) is an internationally renowned Hungarian theater and film director, poet, essayist and teacher. Between 2007 and 2016 he was the Head of Directing at the Theatre and Dance Department of the Univers ...

, and Alexandru Dabija. The former husband of actress

Anca Verești ANCA or Anca may refer to: * Anca (name), Romanian female first name * Áncá language * Ançã (Cantanhede), civil parish in Portugal * Ançã, town in Portugal Organization * Australian Nature Conservation Agency, now Environment Australia * A ...

, he is married to Mariana Mihuț, his Bulandra colleague. Rebengiuc's life under the

communist regime A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism–Leninism. Marxism–Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Cominte ...

provided him an anti-communist perspective, and some of his 1980s films were censored or banned by the country's officials. In 1989, he took part in the

Romanian Revolution The Romanian Revolution ( ro, Revoluția Română), also known as the Christmas Revolution ( ro, Revoluția de Crăciun), was a period of violent civil unrest in Romania during December 1989 as a part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred ...

, when he was among the people who stormed into the

Romanian Television Televiziunea Română (), more commonly referred to as TVR , is the short name for Societatea Română de Televiziune ("Romanian Television Society"; SRTV), the Romanian public television. It operates six channels: TVR1, TVR2, TVR3, TVR Info, ...

building and broadcast the downfall of

Nicolae Ceaușescu Nicolae Ceaușescu ( , ; – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian communist politician and dictator. He was the general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and the second and last Communist leader of Romania. He ...

and an end to communist rule. Rebengiuc subsequently spoke out against political forces he believes stand for the regime's legacy in modern society, and called for the retrospective condemnation of communism. As a public figure, he has had a brief career in politics, and, since the mid-1990s, endorses

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

Biography

Early life

A native of

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

, Rebengiuc hails from a modest family. After his parents separated when he was three years old, he and his younger brother were raised by their maternal grandparents. He grew up on the city's outskirts, in the low-income quarters, and, as he remembers, his family frequently changed residence in order to afford the rent. Evelyn Badea
"Victor Rebengiuc - talent şi dăruire"
, in '' Adevărul'', June 16, 2006 Simona Chiţan
"Victor Rebengiuc: 'Mă lupt încă cu morile de vânt' "
in ''

Evenimentul Zilei ''Evenimentul Zilei'' is a formerly physical and now exclusively online newspaper in Romania. Its name means "today's even (news)". History and profile ''Evenimentul Zilei'' was founded by Ion Cristoiu, Cornel Nistorescu and Mihai Cârciog, and ...

'', May 25, 2008 They lived in Dristor, then in Chiajna, Rahova, Dealul Spirii and ultimately northern Bucharest. His father Gheorghe, whom the two sons seldom met, was drafted during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and died fighting in the

land Forces Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various islan ...

during the Battle of Stalingrad; Ovidiu Şimonca
" 'Încă nu mă consider un actor mare' " (interview with Victor Rebengiuc)
in '' Observator Cultural'', Nr. 412, February 2008 Victor and his brother were subsequently granted a pension. His mother worked as a clerk, and, just before her retirement, was an employee of the Transport Ministry. Rebengiuc credits his father's genes with his own acting ability. He noted in an interview: "I was pained by my father's absence and, in a way, I always felt like there was something missing, although the bond between us was not strong." Victor Rebengiuc completed his secondary studies at the Military High School, a school which he is grateful to for having instilled in him a sense of discipline. After a period of collaboration with an amateur troupe located in the Vitan area, Rebengiuc attended the Theater Institute, where he had for his professor actress Aura Buzescu, whom he credits, alongside Clody Bertola, with having inspired his technique. Marius Chivu
" 'Sînt un om simplu, merg pe jos şi mă îmbrac modest' " (interview with Victor Rebengiuc)
, in ''

Dilema Veche ''Dilema veche'' (English: "Old Dilemma") is a Romanian weekly magazine that covers culture, social topics, and politics. It was founded in 2004 as the successor to the magazine ''Dilema'', which was founded in 1993. Both magazines were founded by ...

'', Vol. II, Nr. 94, November 2005 Among the artists who have shaped his work, Rebengiuc also includes the major

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

actors

Mikhail Zharov Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov (russian: Михаи́л Ива́нович Жа́ров; 27 October 1899 – 15 December 1981) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor and director. People's Artist of the USSR (1949) and Hero of Socialist Labour ...

and

Ruben Simonov Ruben Nikolayevich Simonov (russian: Рубен Николаевич Симонов (2 April 1899, Moscow, Russian Empire – 5 December 1968, Moscow, Soviet Union) was a Soviet and Russian actor, theater director and pedagogue. People's Artist of ...

, whose performances in films he followed closely, and his older Romanian colleague Radu Beligan. Laura Popescu
"Victor Rebengiuc: 'Eu sunt acolo undeva, în spate, curentul electric care le animă' "
a
LiterNet
(originally published in ''Ghidul HBO'', November 2004); retrieved May 29, 2008 He says: "Back when I started I was acting with the amateurs, I was imitating Beligan. ..Only when I was undergoing examination at the Institute, I was told, 'hey, you're imitating Beligan!' And then I realized it and try to get rid of this thing." Victor Rebengiuc1

He graduated in 1956, and, after a six-month stint at the National Theater in Craiova,Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe, ''Who's Who in Contemporary World Theatre'',

Routledge Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law ...

, London, 2002, p.254. returned to Bucharest, settling in the vicinity of Cişmigiu Gardens and starting work with Bulandra. Rebengiuc was at the time in a relationship with Anca Vereşti, whom he married in 1960, divorcing her five years later. Rebengiuc's first drama role was as Biff in

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...

's play ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montage ...

'', a performance which he regrets, describing its director, Dinu Negreanu, as an untalented person promoted over "political reasons". He also recounts that training for the part brought his first collaboration with

, which he sees as one of the few positive aspects of the production. At around the same time, he began a collaboration with the '' Teatrul Mic'' company and director

, being, together with Leopoldina Bălănuţă,

George Constantin George Constantin (; 3 May 1933 – 30 April 1994) was a Romanian actor.

and Olga Tudorache, one of the first actors to embark on the project. Simona Chiţan
"Prietenia lui Rebengiuc"
in ''

'', December 13, 2009 Rebengiuc appeared in several of Penciulescu's

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a ...

productions: ''

Two for the Seesaw ''Two for the Seesaw'' is a 1962 American romantic- drama film directed by Robert Wise and starring Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine. It was adapted from the 1958 Broadway play written by William Gibson with Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft ( ...

'' by

William Gibson William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as ''cyberpunk''. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, hi ...

, ''

Tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...

'' by Sławomir Mrożek and '' Richard II'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

. Theater critic Simona Chiţan saw the collaboration as an aspect of the liberalization following the

socialist realist Socialist realism is a style of idealized realistic art that was developed in the Soviet Union and was the official style in that country between 1932 and 1988, as well as in other socialist countries after World War II. Socialist realism is ...

years: "Penciulescu and Rebengiuc have thus opened ..a positive period for Romanian theater: the repertoire had been widened, foreign, not just Soviet, plays were being performed, authors modern for the age in question had their plays produced."

First major roles

Rebengiuc debuted in cinema with the 1956 ''Mîndrie'', and went on to minor roles in several films, including the 1960 '' Furtuna'', adapted by Andrei Blaier from one of Titus Popovici's writings,

Iulian Mihu Iulian Mihu (3 November 1926 – 20 June 1999) was a Romanian film director. He directed nineteen films between 1953 and 1998. His 1981 film '' The Pale Light of Sorrow'' was entered into the 12th Moscow International Film Festival, where i ...

's ''Poveste sentimentală'' (from a work by

Horia Lovinescu Horia or ''Horea'' may refer to: Places in Romania Communes *Horea, Alba *Horia, Constanța * Horia, Neamț *Horia, Tulcea * Hilișeu-Horia, Botoșani Villages *Horea, in Sanislău, Satu Mare *Horia, in Vladimirescu, Arad *Horia, in Surdila-Greci, ...

) and '' Darclée'', the biographical story of opera singer Hariclea Darclée. In 1965, Victor Rebengiuc portrayed Apostol Bologa, the central character in Ciulei's film '' The Forest of the Hanged'' (adapted from

Liviu Rebreanu Liviu Rebreanu (; November 27, 1885 – September 1, 1944) was a Romanian novelist, playwright, short story writer, and journalist. Life Born in Felsőilosva (now Târlișua, Bistrița-Năsăud County, Transylvania), then part of the Kingd ...

's novel of the same name). The film earned Ciulei the Best Director Award at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

, and was received with a standing ovation at the Acapulco Film Festival in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. Thirty-six years after, Rebengiuc acknowledged that the film was his breakthrough role, Irina Margareta Nistor
"Interviu cu Victor Rebengiuc şi Mariana Mihuţ - Cei doi magnifici"
, a
LiterNet
retrieved May 28, 2008 and indicated that the film's depiction of ethnic conflicts in

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

made it "absolutely fresh, undated", drawing a parallel between its script and the issues posed by the

Yugoslav wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and insurgencies that took place in the SFR Yugoslavia from 1991 to 2001. The conflicts both led up to and resulted from ...

. According to his recollections, his "angelic face" had initially been judged unsatisfactory by Ciulei, but he managed to convince during casting. He also says that, upon receiving the news of his acceptance, "my legs began trembling and I fell off my chair". It was on the set that he met and fell in love with Mariana Mihuţ, marrying her in 1965. He fathered a son, Tudor, in 1975, and later recounted that his wife had decided to keep him only because

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...

had been outlawed and the clandestine interventions had become unsanitary (''see Abortion in Romania, Decreţei''). Tudor Rebengiuc is a known architect. Ever since he became known to the public, Rebengiuc established himself as one of the leading actors of his generation, and won praise for both his technique and natural ability.Bulandra Theater profile
; retrieved May 29, 2008 Philosopher and critic Andrei Pleşu writes: "Victor Rebengiuc can act magnificently in any role, for he never acts in the role of 'the artist'. The only 'signal' of his specific involvement is, perhaps, the unmistakable crystal-like nature of his speech, the break-through diction, the natural attention toward the clarity of the vocal emission and the message. And this does not mean the usual affectation of the stage, the pedantic, artificial care for sound effects, for the virile imposture of the voice. It means the respect for the text, for the partner in dialog and for the language. Victor Rebengiuc's talent stems, most of all, from a certain cult for the truth ..and a most rare ability for what is natural." The actor acknowledges having a fear for improvisation, and recounts having prepared himself intensely for each of his roles. Collaborating with important stage directors such as Ciulei, Cătălina Buzoianu and

, Rebengiuc won further notability for his performances in adaptations of Shakespearean plays (Orlando in '' As You Like It'',

Brutus Marcus Junius Brutus (; ; 85 BC – 23 October 42 BC), often referred to simply as Brutus, was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. After being adopted by a relative, he used the name Quintus Serv ...

in ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...

'', the title role in ''Richard II''), as well as in those of Henrik Ibsen (Bernick in ''

The Pillars of Society ''The Pillars of Society'' (or "Pillars of the Community"; original Norwegian title: ''Samfundets støtter'') is an 1877 play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen had great trouble with the writing of this play. The ending i ...

'' and the main character in '' Rosmersholm''), Anton Chekhov (Michail Lvovich Astroff in ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the dir ...

''), Oscar Wilde (Jack in ''

The Importance of Being Earnest ''The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious ...

''),

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Nobel Prize in Literature, literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama tech ...

('' Long Day's Journey into Night'', ''

A Moon for the Misbegotten ''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. The play is a sequel to O'Neill's '' Long Day's Journey into Night'', with the Jim Tyrone character as an older version of Jamie Tyrone. He began drafting the play late in ...

'') and

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

(

Stanley Kowalski Stanley Kowalski is a fictional character in Tennessee Williams' play ''A Streetcar Named Desire''. In the play Stanley lives in the working-class Faubourg Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans with his wife, Stella ( DuBois), and is employed ...

in '' A Streetcar Named Desire''). Before Penciulescu left for Sweden, he and Rebengiuc also worked on the Bulandra version of

Rolf Hochhuth Rolf Hochhuth (; 1 April 1931 – 13 May 2020) was a German author and playwright, best known for his 1963 drama '' The Deputy'', which insinuates Pope Pius XII's indifference to Hitler's extermination of the Jews, and he remained a controversial ...

's ''

The Deputy ''The Deputy, a Christian tragedy'' (German: ''Der Stellvertreter. Ein christliches Trauerspiel''), also published in English as ''The Representative '', is a controversial 1963 play by Rolf Hochhuth which portrayed Pope Pius XII as having failed ...

'' (known in Romanian as ''Vicarul'', "The Vicar"). After his debut in cinema, Rebengiuc became a regular presence on screen. His next film was the 1967 '' Nay-dalgata nosht'', by

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

n director Vulo Radev, where he starred opposite Nevena Kokanova as the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

prisoner. Two years later, under the direction of Mihai Iacob, Rebengiuc starred in '' The Castle of the Condemned''. During the late 1960s and 1970s, he was present in two screen adaption from works by Romania's classical writer

Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale (; commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179-184 – 9 June 1912) was a Romanian playw ...

(''Cadou'' and '' O scrisoare pierdută''). In 1972 and 1973, he starred two adaption of Manole Marcus' adaptations of scripts by Titus Popovici: ''Conspiraţia'' and '' Departe de Tipperary''. Also in 1973, he appeared in

Gheorghe Vitanidis Gheorghe Vitanidis (1 October 1929 – 25 November 1994) was a Romanian film director. He directed 19 films between 1958 and 1987. His 1969 film '' A Woman for a Season'' was entered into the 6th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1979 ...

' ''

Dimitrie Cantemir Dimitrie or Demetrius Cantemir (, russian: Дмитрий Кантемир; 26 October 1673 – 21 August 1723), also known by other spellings, was a Romanian prince, statesman, and man of letters, regarded as one of the most significant e ...

'', and, the following year, had one of the main roles in Constantin Vaeni's '' Zidul''. Rebengiuc also had a role in the 1976 '' Tănase Scatiu'' (an adaptation of

Duiliu Zamfirescu Duiliu Zamfirescu (30 October 1858 – 3 June 1922) was a Romanian novelist, poet, short story writer, lawyer, nationalist politician, journalist, diplomat and memoirist. In 1909, he was elected a member of the Romanian Academy, and, for a while ...

's ''Comăneştenilor''

literary cycle A literary cycle is a group of stories focused on common figures, often (though not necessarily) based on mythical figures or loosely on historical ones. Cycles which deal with an entire country are sometimes referred to as matters. A fictional c ...

), which was his first collaboration with director Dan Piţa. Two years later, he appeared in Marcus' '' Cyanide and the Rain Drop'', in Vaeni's '' Buzduganul cu trei peceţi'', and in Piţa's '' The Prophet, the Gold and the Transylvanians''. In 1979, he was in '' The Man in the Overcoat'', directed by Nicolae Mărgineanu. During the late 1970s, Rebengiuc was also required to appear in a series of film productions that he admits were of little quality and mainly catered to the ideological tenets newly imposed by the

and

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Nicolae Ceauşescu Nicolae may refer to: * Nicolae (name), a Romanian name * ''Nicolae'' (novel), a 1997 novel See also *Nicolai (disambiguation) Nicolai may refer to: *Nicolai (given name) people with the forename ''Nicolai'' *Nicolai (surname) people with the s ...

(''see

July Theses The July Theses ( ro, Tezele din iulie) is a name commonly given to a speech delivered by Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu on July 6, 1971, before the Executive Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR). Its full name was ("Proposed meas ...

''). As an example, he cites ''Buzduganul cu trei peceţi'', where he portrayed the main character, late 16th-century conqueror of

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...

Michael the Brave. Of communist films based on Michael's life, Rebengiuc says: "Michael the Brave was Ceauşescu himself nlywith a beard, mustache and a fur hat, and what came out of his mouth were Ceauşescu's speeches." Rebengiuc also states not having "any regret" for not being invited to star in similar films directed by

Sergiu Nicolaescu Sergiu Florin Nicolaescu (; 13 April 1930 – 3 January 2013) was a Romanian film director, actor and politician. He was best known for his historical films, such as '' Mihai Viteazul'' (1970, released in English both under the equivalent tit ...

. He acknowledges having managed to escape most other forms of endorsement for the communist leader's

personality cult A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader, Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, Cristóbal Rovira (2017) ''Populism: A Very Short Introduction''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 63. is the result of an effort which is made to create an id ...

, but indicates that, without his permission, several of his performances were considered up for competition in communist-run festivals, and that he was sent a number of diplomas for his various roles. He remembers having refused to take part in '' Cântarea României'' festival, a nationwide quasi-compulsory form of socialist competition in the field of arts: "I couldn't and I said no, sir! hey said:'Now, if you don't go we'll fire you.' So fire me! Well, they didn't."

1980s and Revolution

During the 1980s, he had several roles in Romanian productions, beginning with Lucian Pintilie's 1981 film '' De ce trag clopotele, Mitică?'', where he played Pampon, one of the main roles, while his wife Mihuţ was cast as Pampon's lover Miţa Baston. Pintilie, who planned the production over several years, later recounted that he had meant to cast Toma Caragiu as Pampon, and that he considered asking him just before Caragiu's death in the 1977 earthquake. Regarding the new spin on his character, he noted: "It was a Pampon, one of those who waste nights away, play cards, suffer out of love, is always jealous, is always cheated but does not ever realize it. It was a Pampon with a reduced intellect and tired, who only understands things with difficulty." Although set during the Belle Époque and based on works by Caragiale, the film's bleak atmosphere and irreverent tone alluded to the realities of Communist Romania, which caused it to be censored and ultimately banned before it could premiere. The cooperation between the actor and director cemented their friendship: Rebengiuc calls Pintile "a great director", and states "I love him like a brother." In 1983, Rebengiuc appeared in Dan Piţa's '' Dreptate în lanţuri''. The same year, he also collaborated with Piţa on '' Faleze de nisip'', based on a screenplay by Bujor Nedelcovici. He starred as the surgeon Theodor Hristea, who, after some of his belongings are stolen, involves himself in the inquiry and directs the interrogation of a seemingly innocent man. The subtle criticism of authorities became a matter of scandal: just days after ''Faleze de nisip'' premiered, Nicolae Ceauşescu spoke in front of Romanian Communist Party officials in Mangalia, singling it out from breaking with the ideological requirements; as a result, it was banned from cinemas. In 1986, Rebengiuc was the central figure in '' Moromeţii'', an adaption of Marin Preda's 1955 book, directed by Stere Gulea. His critically acclaimed performance saw Rebengiuc being identified by the public with his character, the patriarchal and rigid peasant Ilie Moromete. Rebengiuc repeatedly stated having felt unsure about his participation in the film, indicating that he had only impersonated city-dwellers in his previous roles, and that he had limited knowledge of the rural world. He was initially deemed unfit for the part, but managed to convince the director after preparing for it by spending a month in

Teleorman County Teleorman County () is a county (județ) of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in the historical region Muntenia, with its capital city at Alexandria. The name ''Teleorman'' is of Cumanic ( Turkic) origin. It literally means ''crazy forest'' ...

, where he lived among the peasants. The Moromete performance earned Rebengiuc several prizes, including one handed to him during the San Remo Film Festival in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, and reportedly won Pintilie's praise. He soon after also cast in Nicolae Mărgineanu's '' The Forest Woman'', alongside Manuela Hărăbor and Adrian Pintea. In December 1989, Rebengiuc was a participant in the

, which managed to topple the Ceauşescu regime and end Communist Party's rule. He joined the crowd of revolutionaries heading into the

building, and voiced anti-communist messages in front of live cameras. In early 1990, he rallied with the '' Golaniad'' protesters in University Square, expressing his opposition to the post-communist ruling party, the National Salvation Front. Romulus Cristea
"Iliescu: 'Să stea in sucul propriu până se vor sătura' "
in ''

România Liberă ''România liberă'' ("") is a Romanian daily newspaper founded in 1943 and currently based in Bucharest. A newspaper of the same name also existed between 1877 and 1888. History and profile The name ''România liberă'' was first used by a dai ...

'', May 19, 2006

1990s and early 2000s

After the end of communism, Rebengiuc continued to act in cinema productions. In 1992, he starred as the Village Mayor in Pintilie's award-winning '' Balanţa'', a role he considered "small, but consistent." His line "

Americans Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents could also legally claim Ame ...

are the stupidest people in the world" is remembered as an ironic reflection of

nationalism Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

being recovered in communist and anti-capitalist discourse. The following year, he was in the cast of '' The Earth's Most Beloved Son'', another adaptation from Marin Preda (from the book '' Cel mai iubit dintre pământeni''). The second of Pintilie's films to star Rebengiuc was the

Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

-nominated drama ''

'', which discussed the failings of justice in post-communist Romania, where he played the role of Elephant Foot. In 1997, he was in Piţa's '' The Man of the Day'', which was based on a screenplay by Radu F. Alexandru, and, in 1999, starred alongside Hungarian and Romanian actors in

's '' Chinese Defense''. Rebengiuc also starred as Grigore Cafanu in Pintilie's 1998 film ''

'' (awarded the Special Grand Jury Prize at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...

). He was also sporadically present on the stage with Bulandra, and stated that he was not interested in starring in works of experimental theater, indicating that it did not suit his taste. Between 1990 and 1996, he was head of the Theater Institute. Speaking in 2005, he said that his ultimate goal was to be "a great actor", elaborating that this implied: "acting in a role and not having anything to reproach myself afterwards. Acting without any specks, being without fault, this is what makes me continue." He made a similar statement in 2008, adding: "I do not act beyond reproach. I have good accomplishments, but there are those sections of a part that I do not cover .. When there will no longer be such uncovered sections ..only then will I say: man, I'm a great actor!" He was

Caliban Caliban ( ), son of the witch Sycorax, is an important character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest''. His character is one of the few Shakespearean figures to take on a life of its own "outside" Shakespeare's own work: as Russell H ...

in Bulandra's 1991 production of

's '' The Tempest'', appearing alongside his fellow actor and revolutionary Ion Caramitru. He starred in several main roles in classical plays, and, as

Nick Bottom Nick Bottom is a character in Shakespeare's ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' who provides comic relief throughout the play. A weaver by trade, he is famously known for getting his head transformed into that of a donkey by the elusive Puck. Bott ...

in Ciulei's production of Shakespeare's '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'', received the UNITER prize. He had several main roles in play by acclaimed stage director Silviu Purcărete: Horazio in Carlo Goldoni's '' The Comical Theater'',

Pelasgus In Greek mythology, Pelasgus ( grc, Πελασγός, ''Pelasgós'' means "ancient") was the eponymous ancestor of the Pelasgians, the mythical inhabitants of Greece who established the worship of the Dodonaean Zeus, Hephaestus, the Cabeiri, and o ...

Aeschylus Aeschylus (, ; grc-gre, Αἰσχύλος ; c. 525/524 – c. 456/455 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian, and is often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek ...

' '' The Suppliants'', and the title role in Shakespeare's ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane ...

''. In 2001, Rebengiuc and his wife appeared together in Anton Chekhov's ''

'', produced for Bulandra by

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

n director

. The same year, he was Fetisov in Hristo Boytchev's '' The Colonel Bird'' and appeared in Samuel Beckett's '' Waiting for Godot'' (directed by, respectively, Alexandru Dabija and Gábor Tompa). Rebengiuc also appeared in his first major television production, ''Tandreţea lăcustelor'', adapted by Dan Necşulea from a screenplay by Eugene Pretorian, and aired by TVR 1 in 2003. It depicted the lives of people made rich and powerful by the Revolution, who invest their energies in undermining each other's positions. The same year, he again collaborated with Pintilie, starring opposite Răzvan Vasilescu and ''

'', impersonating Colonel Niki Ardelean. His character, whom Rebengiuc himself describes as "a modest man, but one who knows his own value", is exasperated by Flo's continuous intrusion into his life, and eventually turns to murder. He describes this part as the most straightforward of his film characters, and indicates that working with screenwriter Cristi Puiu impressed him. In 2004, he and Puiu collaborated on the

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

'' Cigarettes and Coffee'', which received the

Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...

at the

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fest ...

. Rebengiuc, who portrayed one of three characters (The Father), describes feeling "pleased" by the collaboration, and having to work with "one of the best" texts. This performance also earned him prizes at the

Transilvania International Film Festival The Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF; ro, Festivalul internațional de film Transilvania) is the first international feature film festival in Romania, which is held annually in the historic capital of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca. Found ...

in Cluj-Napoca and the Anonimul Film Festival in the Danube Delta.

Late 2000s

With the Bulandra crew, he was also cast as The Father in Liviu Ciulei's adaptation of

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...

's ''

Six Characters in Search of an Author ''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' ( it, Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore, link=no ) is an Italian play by Luigi Pirandello, written and first performed in 1921. An absurdist fiction, absurdist metatheatrical, metatheatric play about th ...

'' (2005-2006 season). He was praised by critic Valentin Dumitrescu for a "remarkable performance covering the palette of the tragic-grotesque and de-canonized myth of an insurmountable condition". Rebengiuc starred in another of Pintilie's productions, ''

'' (based on a story by Vasile Voiculescu), playing The General. He collaborated with Kordonsky on three other stage productions: Nikolai Gogol's ''

Marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

'',

's '' Conu' Leonida faţă cu reacţiunea'' (which was shown only once, during a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

festivity in Buşteni) and Mikhail Bulgakov's ''

Heart of a Dog ''Heart of a Dog'' (russian: links=no, italic=yes, Собачье сердце, Sobachye serdtse) is a novella by Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov. A biting satire of Bolshevism, it was written in 1925 at the height of the NEP period, when commu ...

'', where he was Preobrazhensky. The latter play was notably showcased at the József Katona Theater in

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

, Hungary during autumn 2007. Rebengiuc also resumed his work in television productions, appearing in the short series '' La Urgenţă'' (aired by TVR 1 in 2006–2007), and in several episodes of Pro TV's '' Cu un pas înainte''. In 2007, entitled to an age pension provided he retires, the actor stated: "I am valid and I still act... When I shall no longer act, I will place myself at a street corner, perchance someone will recognize me and hand me a pretzel or something." In early 2008, he was

Willy Loman William "Willy" Loman is a fictional character and the protagonist of Arthur Miller's play ''Death of a Salesman'', which debuted on Broadway with Lee J. Cobb playing Loman at the Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949. Loman is a 63-year-old t ...

in the Bulandra production of ''

'' (directed by Felix Alexa). Simona Chiţan
"Întoarcerea lui Rebengiuc"
in ''

'', April 3, 2008"Victor Rebengiuc - premiul UNITER pentru cel mai bun actor în rol principal"

Mediafax Mediafax ({{IPA-ro, ˌmedi.aˈfaks) is a Romanian media company headquartered in Bucharest and founded in 1991. It is a part of the MediaPro Group and its primary line of business is a news and photography service. The company's ''Mediafax Busines ...

, April 27, 2009 He appeared again alongside Mihuţ, who played Linda, in what was announced as his comeback to the world of theater. During the same months, Rebengiuc, together with

Gheorghe Dinică Gheorghe Dinică (; 1 January 1934 – 10 November 2009) was a Romanian actor. Career Dinică showed an early interest in acting, being part of different amateur theater troupes since he was 17. In 1957, he entered The National Institute of Thea ...

and Marin Moraru, was awarded the title of ''

Doctor honoris causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad ho ...

'' by the Theater Institute. Also in 2007–2008, Rebengiuc was cast in two films: '' După EA'' and '' Silent Wedding'', the debut production of his friend and colleague Horaţiu Mălăele. He also released an

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...

version of

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

's '' The Death of Ivan Ilyich''. In February, just before the actor turned 75, journalists Simona Chiţan and Mihaela Michailov published ''De-a dreptul Victor Rebengiuc'' ("Victor Rebengiuc for Sure"), a book they dedicated to his acting career, edited by Humanitas. Rebengiuc, who discussed his Christian faith in interviews, also began applying his actor's craft to religious broadcasting, with readings of the ''

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

''. His performance as Willy Loman was awarded another UNITER prize in April 2009. Silvia Dumitrache
"Un spectacol viu şi dinamic, tensionat şi tulburător"
in '' Observator Cultural'', Nr. 493, September 2009 The same year, Rebengiuc appeared in Călin Netzer's film '' Medalia de onoare'', and his interpretation as an unwitting war hero was awarded prizes at the

Torino Film Festival The Torino Film Festival (also called the Turin Film Festival, TFF) is an international film festival held annually in Turin, Italy. Held every November, it is the second largest film festival in Italy, following the Venice Film Festival. It was f ...

and the International Thessaloniki Film Festival. Iulia Blaga
"La gala de premiere TIFF s-a adoptat Proclamaţia de la Cluj care coalizează lumea filmului împotriva lui Sergiu Nicolaescu"
Hotnews.ro, June 5, 2010; retrieved June 8, 2010 Alexandra Olivotto
"Victor Rebengiuc, noul idol al Festivalului de Film de la Cluj"
in ''

'', June 3, 2010 The role earned him another Best Male Actor Award at the Transilvania Film Festival, 2010 edition, where he was a guest of honor. In October 2010, he received the Prometheus ''Opera Omnia'' Award for Performance Art, granted by the Anonimul Foundation. He also embarked on a collaboration with the National Theater Bucharest (TNB), as Joe Keller in Arthur Miller's '' All My Sons''—under Caramitru's direction. Theater critic Silvia Dumitrache, who called the show "lively and dynamic, tense and troubling", highlights the fact that Rebengiuc created a "rather positive" portrayal of a negative role, serving to cast "an even more tragic light over the play." Rebengiuc was also the lead in another TNB production, ''Legenda Marelui Inchizitor'' ("The Legend of the Grand Inquisitor"), adapted by Radu Penciulescu from Fyodor Dostoevsky's eponymous parable. Dan Boicea
"Război între diavol şi Dumnezeu"
in '' Adevărul Literar şi Artistic'', December 8, 2009 Critic Dan Boicea, who noted that the production relied on Rebengiuc's monologues, also argued: "Rebengiuc does not in any way exaggerate, he is passionate through his gentleness, he is firm in the manner through which he spares his energy .. He does not erupt at the moment of climax, although he could have well fallen into this sin."

Politics

Early causes

In a 2005 interview with ''

'', Victor Rebengiuc said: "I have but one certainty: communist society is bad. After the unfortunate experience of several tens of years, I would shove my hand into the furnace over this issue." Despite being confronted with recruitment campaigns before 1989, Rebengiuc never joined the Romanian Communist Party and felt that his role in ''

'' was "representative" of himself, owing to the anti-communist undertones in Mikhail Bulgakov's play. Rebengiuc first voiced his political message to the public during the

, when he was present in the

building. In an iconic moment, he held up a roll of

toilet paper Toilet paper (sometimes called toilet tissue or bathroom tissue) is a tissue paper product primarily used to clean the anus and surrounding anal region of feces after defecation, and to clean the perineal area and external genitalia of ur ...

to the camera, urging viewers and members of the television staff who had promoted Ceauşescu's

to clean up after themselves. In 2008, Rebengiuc recalled: "I had been wanting to do this gesture for a long time, and I think it was the most appropriate of moments. I know I took a lot of people by surprise. I told them that people who ate shit and who filled up our lives and ears with Ceauşescu this, Ceauşescu that, ought to disappear. That paper was supposed to wipe out some traces. I am still fighting windmills." Elsewhere, he spoke of his motivations: "All those who just an hour or two before were still eulogizing Ceauşescu were

till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...

on television. And, just like that, they were on television, making themselves look innocent, pure. ..Me, until 22 December 1989 hat is, the day Ceauşescu fled I was wondering: gee, what will all these shit-eaters be doing if the regime is changed? Will they be ashamed? Will they run to hide in dark corners? And then I see them on television..." Rebengiuc, who credits his son Tudor with having urged him to walk into the Television building, also remembers reciting ''

Doina The doina () is a Romanian musical tune style, possibly with Middle Eastern roots, customary in Romanian peasant music, as well as in Lăutărească. It was also adopted into klezmer music. Similar tunes are found throughout Eastern Europe an ...

'', a

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

poem by Mihai Eminescu, changing stress from its condemnation of foreigners to read like an attack on people associated with the regime. On 1 May 1990, at the height of the '' Golaniad'' events, Rebengiuc read a ''Protest of the Romanian Intellectuals'', expressing solidarity with the students gathered in University Square in opposition to the National Salvation Front. It was signed by 27 cultural personalities, among them civil society militants ( Gabriel Andreescu, Doina Cornea, Radu Filipescu), journalists ( Cornel Nistorescu, Octavian Paler), essayists ( Gabriela Adameşteanu,

Ana Blandiana Ana Blandiana (; pen name of Otilia Valeria Coman; born 25 March 1942, in Timișoara) is a Romanian poet, essayist, and political figure. She is considered one of the famous contemporary Romanian authors. She took her name after Blandiana, nea ...

, Petru Creţia, Ştefan Augustin Doinaş, Ion Bogdan Lefter, Romulus Rusan), visual artists ( Horia Bernea, Sorin Dumitrescu, Mihai Stănescu), actors ( Irina Petrescu,

Florin Zamfirescu Florin Zamfirescu (; born 12 April 1949) is a Romanian theatre and film actor and director, and university professor. Zamfirescu was born in Călimănești, Vâlcea County; his grandfather, Gheorghe Zamfirescu, was mayor of the town. He graduate ...

and Rebengiuc's wife Mariana Mihuţ), musicians ( Corneliu Cezar, Teodor Grigoriu,

Johnny Răducanu Johnny Răducanu (born Răducan Crețu; 1 December 1931 – 19 September 2011) was a Romanian jazz pianist of Romani ethnic background, whose family has a long musical tradition dating back to the 17th century. He was born in Brăila and started ...

), scientist Edmond Nicolau and filmmaker Lucian Pintilie. The document offered praise to the Timişoara Proclamation, through which both the 1989 revolutionaries and the ''Golaniad'' were asking for the application of lustration in Romanian politics, and stressed the continuity between the two forms of street protest, while objecting to the Salvation Front's allegations that the protesters were jeopardizing social consensus: " he demonstratorsexpress the Revolution's spirit, the sacrifice of those who have stood for the Romanian people's horror for any form of

totalitarianism Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and regu ...

. The Government's decision to refuse dialogue with the demonstrators, with those who have signed the Proclamation, still divides the population, still alienates one of the most active and responsible sections of the nation. ..We too wish for stability, but we wish for a moral stability, one based not on personal or party interests, but on the interests of the country and on the sacred aspirations of the December Revolution." After 1990, Rebengiuc remained a critic of the Salvation Front's successor, the Social Democratic Party. He felt that "The party in power immediately after the Revolution only changed its name and high-ranking leadership, that is all. People were still tied to the communist party's mentality." During the early 1990s, Rebengiuc sympathized with the opposition National Liberals, and, without formalizing his affiliation, ran in elections for the Senate in the 1990 suffrage. Rebengiuc later reflected: "Fortunately, I was not elected." The actor also publicized his

monarchism Monarchism is the advocacy of the system of monarchy or monarchical rule. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government independently of any specific monarch, whereas one who supports a particular monarch is a royalist. ...

: in April 1992, he was one of the celebrities welcoming

Michael I Michael I may refer to: * Pope Michael I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark in 743–767 * Michael I Rhangabes, Byzantine Emperor (died in 844) * Michael I Cerularius, Patriarch Michael I of Constantin ...

, the deposed

King of Romania The King of Romania (Romanian: ''Regele României'') or King of the Romanians (Romanian: ''Regele Românilor''), was the title of the monarch of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when the Romanian Workers' Party proclaimed the Romani ...

, during his return visit to the post-communist country. In 2003–2004, Rebengiuc was affiliated with the minor party Union for Romanian Reconstruction (URR). He later stated: "It was a political proposal I believed in. URR could have been a change of the political class." He indicated that his reasons for parting with the group was its failure to gain popularity and reach the number of votes necessary to enter

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

during the 2004 elections.

Civil society activist

Since 2002, Rebengiuc has been a member of the

''Asociaţia Revoluţionarilor fără Privilegii'' (Association of Non-Privileged Revolutionaries), alongside Ion Caramitru, Dan Pavel, Radu Filipescu and others. Răzvan Brăileanu
"Disidenţă, revoluţie, GDS" (interview with Radu Filipescu)
, in ''

Revista 22 ''Revista 22'' (''22 Magazine'') is a Romanian weekly magazine, issued by the Group for Social Dialogue and focused mainly on politics and culture. History and profile ''Revista 22'' was started in 1990. The first edition of the magazine was prin ...

'', Nr. 723, January 2004 In reference to the goal behind this group, Filipescu states: "The Association was established as a reaction to the very active organizations of revolutionaries, which were mostly active in demanding material gains. Ultimately, the situation arose where joining an association of revolutionaries had the connotation of pursuing material gains, privileges." He is also a member of the Group for Social Dialog (GDS), a platform for reform-minded intellectuals. As of 2005, he was, with fellow revolutionary

Mircea Diaconu Mircea Diaconu (; born 24 December 1949) is a Romanian actor, writer, and politician. First appearing on stage in 1970, and on screen two years later, Diaconu pursued a lengthy career in both formats, working with a series of prominent directors ...

, one of the two actors among its 48 members. He chose to retire from Romanian politics, stating in 2008: "I see no sense in being involved, since I cannot go all the way in opting for any person. I do not believe in any of the people I could elect at this moment, and I therefore prefer to stand aside." Confessing that he cannot bring himself to even read newspapers, he declares himself "disgusted" with the political class. Despite his withdrawal, he signed his name to a set of initiatives which presume a political role. In March 2006, the actor voiced a public appeal signed by 30 non-governmental organizations and over 230 public figures, through which he asked

Traian Băsescu Traian Băsescu (; born 4 November 1951) is a conservative Romanian politician who served as President of Romania from 2004 to 2014. Prior to his presidency, Băsescu served as Romanian Minister of Transport on multiple occasions between 1991 ...

to effect the condemnation of the communist regime in the spirit of the Timişoara Proclamation. Partly as a result of this appeal, the head of state instituted the Presidential Commission for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Romania, which was headed by historian

Vladimir Tismăneanu Vladimir Tismăneanu (; born July 4, 1951) is a Romanian American political scientist, political analyst, sociologist, and professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. A specialist in political systems and comparative politics, he is di ...

, and a report which the president read in Parliament. During the subsequent controversy, criticism of Băsescu and the report was notably voiced by the opposition groups: the Social Democrats, the Conservative Party and the

Greater Romania Party The Greater Romania Party ( ro, Partidul România Mare, PRM) is a Romanian nationalist political party. Founded in May 1991 by Eugen Barbu and Corneliu Vadim Tudor, it was led by the latter from that point until his death in September 2015. The ...

. In February 2007, as parliamentary forces voted in favor of an impeachment referendum against Băsescu, Rebengiuc joined Tismăneanu and 48 other intellectuals in signing an

open letter An open letter is a letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally. Open letters usually take the form of a letter addressed to an indiv ...

condemning the move. They argued that such a reaction had been made possible by "the concerted attacks of those who felt shaken their business, their impunity, the possibility of perpetuating the post-communist oligarchic state.""Scrisoarea celor 50 de intelectuali"
, Realitatea TV release, February 7, 2007 Warning that, together with the break-up of the

Justice and Truth Alliance The Justice and Truth Alliance (originally in ro, Alianţa Dreptate şi Adevăr; or D.A. for short, meaning "yes" in Romanian) was a political alliance comprising two political parties in Romania, namely the centre-right liberal National Libera ...

, this kind of reaction had fermented "a political crisis", they also supported Băsescu's stated goals of stamping out corruption and granting the public opening the archives of the communist secret police, the

Securitate The Securitate (, Romanian for ''security'') was the popular term for the Departamentul Securității Statului (Department of State Security), the secret police agency of the Socialist Republic of Romania. Previously, before the communist regime ...

. Other signatories of the letter included

Gabriel Liiceanu Gabriel Liiceanu (; b. May 23, 1942, Râmnicu Vâlcea) is a Romanian philosopher. He graduated from the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Philosophy in 1965, and from Faculty of Classical Languages in 1973. He earned a doctorate in philosop ...

, Sorin Ilieşiu, Mircea Mihăieş, Dan C. Mihăilescu, Mircea Cărtărescu, Magda Cârneci, Horia-Roman Patapievici, Şerban Rădulescu-Zoner, Andrei Oişteanu, Ruxandra Cesereanu,

Dan Perjovschi Dan Perjovschi is an artist, writer and cartoonist born on 29 October 1961 in Sibiu, Romania. Perjovschi has over the past decade created drawings in museum spaces, most recently in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in which he created ...

, Alexandru Zub, Virgil Nemoianu, Adriana Babeţi, Livius Ciocârlie,

Andrei Cornea Andrei, Andrey or Andrej (in Cyrillic script: Андрэй , Андрей or Андреј) is a form of Andreas/ Ἀνδρέας in Slavic languages and Romanian. People with the name include: *Andrei of Polotsk (–1399), Lithuanian nobleman *An ...

, Sabina Fati, Florin Gabrea, Andrei Pippidi, Dan Tapalagă, Sever Voinescu, Florin Ţurcanu, Hannelore Baier and

Traian Ungureanu Traian Ungureanu (born 1 March 1958) is a former Romanian journalist and politician. He has been a journalist at BBC World and was between 2009 and 2019 a Member of the European Parliament. He has spoken out about the persecution of Christians in ...

. His call to uncover the secrets of Romania's communist past also made him look up data kept on him by the Securitate and placed at his disposal by the CNSAS, a state agency which manages Securitate archives. He believes that certain information is still missing from his file, indicating that his tendency to speak his mind is likely to have caused the authorities to keep him under surveillance. He also stresses that he long suspected people in his pre-1989 entourage of having informed on him to the Securitate, and recounts having received

hate mail Hate mail (as electronic, posted, or otherwise) is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient. Hate mail often contains exceptionally abusive, foul or otherwi ...

soon after the Revolution, especially after having expressed criticism for the Salvation Front. In January 2007, Rebengiuc and Perjovschi also spoke out on the issue of cultural policies, protesting against the state-run Center for Cinema Production: together with actor Florin Piersic Jr, filmmaker Radu Afrim, and critics Mihai Chirilov, Alex Leo Şerban, Marius Chivu and Daniel Cristea-Enache, they endorsed an

online In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed "on line" o ...

petition which condemned the institution for its decision to grant funding to the projects of controversial director

, and for failing to finance young and internationally acclaimed directors such as Cristi Puiu and

Thomas Ciulei Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

. Three years later, during the

, Rebengiuc voiced a public protest of cinema professionals against Nicolaescu's law project, which aimed to modify the criteria in use for the public financing of films. Their protest, codified in the ''Cluj Proclamation'', earned support from visiting German director Wim Wenders. Rebengiuc was also the spokesman of a 2009 campaign launched by Realitatea TV and titled ''Noi vrem respect'' ("We Demand Respect"). The initiative announced as its goal the change of morals and attitudes among the Romanians: "Cheekiness will not turn one into God, money will not make us masters, ignorance does not make us blessed.""Actorul Victor Rebengiuc susţine campania ''Noi vrem respect''"
Realitatea TV, October 1, 2009; retrieved December 24, 2009 In a promotional video headlining the campaign, Rebengiuc himself stated that he felt solidarity with the Realitatea vision, being motivated in this by what he saw as a general decrease in standards within Romanian society. His participation in the project was the topic of criticism: commentators argued that the station was using the slogan in the political battle leading up to the 2009 election, and thus reflected its patron Sorin Ovidiu Vântu's option for the anti-Băsescu parties and trade unions. Bogdan Iancu
" 'Ţară, ţară, vrem respect!' – sau jocul de-a societatea"
, in ''

'', Vol. VI, Nr. 297, October 2009 Journalist and academic Bogdan Iancu, who entered a polemic with Realitatea over the issue of covert political support, suggested that there was a contrast between Rebengiuc's stance during the Revolution (the toilet paper episode) and his lending credibility to what "reeks of manipulation intelligently packaged in the suave discourse of social responsibility". In contrast, writer Cezar Paul-Bădescu found the campaign "laudable", describing it the start of a "moral revolution" and believing Rebengiuc's role to have been "as usual, extraordinary", but noting that Realitatea had itself failed at maintaining the journalistic standard it implicitly advertised. Cezar Paul-Bădescu
"Valoare şi respect"
in ''

'', Vol. VI, Nr. 295, October 2009

Selected filmography

References

External links

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Profile
at the National Theater Bucharest {{DEFAULTSORT:Rebengiuc, Victor Romanian male film actors Romanian male stage actors Romanian radio personalities Romanian television personalities Caragiale Academy of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography alumni Censorship in Romania People of the Romanian Revolution Romanian activists Romanian political candidates Male actors from Bucharest 1933 births Living people Romanian monarchists 20th-century Romanian male actors