Closer to the Moon (Romanian: Mai aproape de lună) is a 2013 comedy-drama film written and directed by Nae Caranfil, and starring Vera Farmiga, Mark Strong, Harry Lloyd, Joe Armstrong, Tim Plester, Christian McKay and Anton Lesser.

[6] Post-war Communist Romania: In 1959 Bucharest, members of Romania's high society Max Rosenthal (Mark Strong), Alice Bercovici (Vera Farmiga), Dumi Dorneanu (Tim Plester), Răzvan Orodel (Joe Armstrong) and Iorgu Ristea (Christian McKay), known collectively as Ioanid Gang, announce to a crowd that they are shooting a film.

The following day, Virgil loiters around a film set and encounters the director, Flaviu (Allan Corduner), who requests him to buy vodka and give it to him whenever he asks.

Eight months before the heist took place, Max, Dumi, Iorgu and Răzvan, heroes of the resistance during World War II, celebrate New Year's Eve and the start of 1959.

After a couple of months, Iorgu unintentionally implicates himself, and the group is individually located and arrested by Comrade Holban (Anton Lesser) and his police officers.

Later, Virgil makes an anonymous call to the first person on the list, and continues to do so with the help of his landlord, Moritz (David de Keyser).

The film was written and directed by Nae Caranfil, and produced by: Michael Fitzgerald, Denis Friedman, Renata Rainieri, Alessandro Leone and Bobby Păunescu through the production company Mandragora Movies.

In August 2011, it was announced that Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong had been cast in leading roles as Alice Bercovici and Max Rosenthal, respectively.

[8] The rest of the cast consisted of: Anton Lesser, Joe Armstrong, Christian McKay, Monica Bîrlădeanu, John Henshaw, Gwyneth Keyworth and Stuart McQuarrie.

[14] Ronnie Scheib of Variety said: "A strange, but true Romanian bank robbery provides inspiration for this darkly comic tale of history and its myriad interpretations.

Stateside potential is modest for the semi-convincing yet enjoyable tale, relying on familiar names in a cast that acquits itself well given the demands of the unusual plot.

"[16] Tara Karajica of 'Altcine.com' wrote: "As far as the acting is concerned, the cast, mainly British and comprised of Vera Farmiga, Mark Strong, Harry Lloyd, among many others, is evenly exceptional.

All in all, Closer to the Moon, with its tragico-burlesque tone, stellar cast and Caranfil's new and uncompromising vision is a bold, edifying and marvelous history lesson as well as a courageous contribution not only to the Romanian New Wave, but also to cinema in general.