directed by: Cristi Puiu, year: 2001
actors: Dragoș Bucur

Stuff and Dough is Cristi Puiu's debut feature, a tightly wound Romanian road drama about a small-time criminal and his unreliable companions as they chase a quick score. In a micro-budget, documentary-like register, the film follows three restless youths as they navigate economic precarity, shifting loyalties, and a tense struggle to outpace the consequences of their plan. Its spare dialogue, naturalistic performances, and stark urban landscapes expose a society on the edge and the fragility of friendship.

Romanian Society, Drama, Crime Drama, Romanian Cinema, Neorealism, Road Movie, Indie Film