The two women, Alina and Voichita, were childhood friends who grew up in an orphanage in Romania. Alina has since moved to Germany to work, while Voichita has found refuge in a convent in a remote area of Romania.
When Alina visits Voichita at the convent, she becomes increasingly agitated and pushes her friend to leave and start a new life with her in Germany. However, Voichita is torn between her loyalty to her friend and her commitment to the convent and her faith.
As tensions between the two women escalate, the situation turns violent, and the church and community of the convent become involved. The film explores themes of religious devotion, friendship, and isolation.
Directed by Cristian Mungiu, Beyond the Hills premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012 and received critical acclaim, winning awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress. It is based on the true story of a young woman who died during an exorcism at a Romanian Orthodox monastery in 2005.
