Film · 2019
The Whistlers
Original titleLa Gomera
Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu · starring Vlad Ivanov, Catrinel Marlon and Sabin Tambrea
- 6.5 AverageMovieNCo
- 4.9 Users2 votes
- 8.0 Critics2 reviews
Synopsis
'The Whistlers' follows Cristi (Vlad Ivanov, 'Sunset', 'In Perfect Health'), a police officer who travels to Gomera, a rocky landscape in the Canary Islands, as part of his mission to expose a money laundering plot that extends across to Romania. When he arrives, however, Cristi finds himself caught between two sides: on the one hand, his co-workers and distrustful boss and on the other, the local businessman and small-time criminal Zsolt (Sabin Tambrea, 'Ludwig II', 'Berlin Station') and his femme fatale girlfriend Gilda (Catrinel Marlon, 'C.S.I.', 'The Ideal City'), who ask him to learn the local language, which is comprised entirely of whistles. As Cristi gets sucked into a plot surrounding a stolen 30 million euros, he begins to ask himself which side he is truly working for.
'The Whistlers' is the latest film by Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu ('The Treasure', 'When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism'). The film draws on influences from the film noir genre in its twisting plot. Also starring are Rodica Lazar ('Carmen', 'The Last Day'), Agustí Villaronga ('Atlas de geografía humana', 'Carta a Eva'), István Teglas ('Luca', 'Self-Portrait of a Dutiful Daughter'), Cristóbal Pinto ('Hierro', 'La Sala'), Antonio Buíl ('Station Horizon', 'Operation Libertad') and George Pistereanu ('If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle', 'Loverboy').
Where to watch The Whistlers
All the optionsAvailable now in the UK:
Availability checked on 8 November 2026.
The essentials
- Runtime
- 97 min1 hour and 37 minutes
- Rating
- 15Suitable only for 15 years and over
- How long is The Whistlers?
- 1 hour and 37 minutes (97 minutes).
- When was The Whistlers released in the UK?
- It was released in the UK on 25 June 2020.
- Who directed The Whistlers?
- Corneliu Porumboiu.
- Who is in The Whistlers?
- It stars Vlad Ivanov, Catrinel Marlon, Sabin Tambrea and Antonio Buíl.
- Where can I watch The Whistlers?
- In the UK it is available with a channel on Prime Video and to rent on Apple TV.
Cast
Full cast (12)-
Vlad Ivanov Cristi
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Catrinel Marlon Gilda
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Sabin Tambrea Zsolt
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Antonio Buíl Kiko
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Agustí Villaronga Paco
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George Pistereanu Alin
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Cristóbal Pinto Carlito
- Director
- Corneliu Porumboiu
- Writers
- Corneliu Porumboiu
- Producers
- Maren Ade, Olivier Père, Benoît Quainon
Videos and trailers
See the videoPhotos and posters
All 5 photosReviews
All 5 reviewsWhat the critics say average 8.0 from 2 outlets
- 8.0 The GuardianPeter Bradshaw
"Porumboiu gives us a knotty, twisty, nifty plot that?s quite involved but hangs together well...An elegant and stylishly crafted piece of entertainment".
Read - 8.0 IndiewireEric Kohn
"Corneliu Porumboiu's enjoyable riff on the heist movie tradition has a unique hook, and is begging for an English language remake".
Read - Roger EbertBrian Tallerico
"'The Whistlers' is sometimes caught between Porumboiu?s dry comedic timing and a plot that I think I?m supposed to be able to follow more than I was (although I?m not sure about that), but it?s…
Read
Soundtrack
All 17 songsIf you liked The Whistlers
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How Much Do You Love Me? 2005 same genre -
Catlow 1971 same genre -
10 1979 same genre -
Después de los nueve meses 1970 same genre -
The Forgotten Ones 1950 same genre -
The Defiant Ones 1958 same genre -
Comet 2014 same genre -
A Few Days in September 2006 -
I've Loved You So Long 2008 -
Vision: From the Life of Hildegard Von Bingen 2009