Why Me? Trailer (2015)

Trailer for Why Me?, which screened at PSIFF.

Cristian, a young idealistic prosecutor whose career is on the rise, tries to crack a case against a senior colleague accused of corruption. The dilemma of choosing between his career and the truth weighs heavily on his shoulders. Looking further to solve the case, he enters a danger zone paved with unexpected and painful revelations.

Why Me?, also known as De Ce Eu?, has had quite the festival run. Besides Palm Springs International Film Festival, the film was also screened at the Berlin International Film Festival as well.

While some describe the film is a Romanian Chinatown, focusing on the real-life case of political corruption involving Romanian criminal prosecutor Cristian Panait. The film might have named Emilian Oprea's character Cristian Panduru, but the basis of the story is obvious. The real Panait was killed under "Making a Murderer" worthy circumstances back in 2002. Though his legal cause of death was listed as suicide, there are quite a few legitimized conspiracy theories that believe he was murdered. Why Me? attempts to walk that line, while delivering added realism by filming at the very location where Panait died.