AllMovie

Filmmaker Anca Damian wrote and directed this "animated documentary" which explores a tragic miscarriage of justice in Poland. Claudiu Crulic was a small-time salesman who specialized in buying discounted products in Poland and selling them at a profit in his native Romania. Crulic also had a history of petty theft, so when he was accused of stealing a wallet belonging to a prominent Polish judge, officials were certain of his guilt, and he was promptly found guilty and sentenced to a prison term. However, Crulic insisted he was in Italy on the day of the theft, and he had train tickets, passenger lists, and other evidence to prove it. Despite this, Crulic's pleas to both Romanian and Polish officials fell on deaf ears, and as he became increasingly frustrated that no one was willing to intervene on his behalf. In protest, Crulic went on a hunger strike; the prison staff's response to Crulic's defiance was inept and ill advised, and belated efforts to force-feed the prisoner led to Crulic's death at the age of 33. Using a variety of artistic styles and animation formats, Crulic: Drumul Spre Dincolo (aka Crulic: The Path To Beyond) visualizes Crulic's true story, presenting a case for his innocence and recounting the arrogance, poor judgment, and medical failings which led to a premature death that could have easily been prevented. Crulic: The Path To Beyond was an official selection at the 2011 BFI London Film Festival.