THE LATEST ROMANIAN MOVIE
BAPTISM (2024) – UBB student film online
“Helping your neighbor, that’s what it’s all about”, said the director about the movie “Baptism”. Vali Nechifor has faith in humanity, he wants to tell us. He trusts that, behind the inevitable social chaos of any historical period, understanding and empathy remain essential qualities of being human.
Directed by: Vali Nechifor
Cast: Mircea Solcanu, Geo Dobre, Gabriel Roșu, Robert Dobre
Script by: Vali Nechifor
LOVE BUS: five love stories from Bucharest
“Love Bus” is an omnibus film made up of five different episodes, each of them taking place in a different district of Bucharest, Romania. The film was shot independently, with a micro budget, by students and recent graduates of the National Film School UNATC “I.L. Caragiale” and it represents their collective debut on the big screen.
Director: Roxana Andrei, Mihai Mincan, Florin Babei, Constantin Radu Vasile, Andrei Georgescu
Scriptwriters: Roxana Andrei, Cristian Delcea, Mihai Mincan, Florin Babei, Roxana Mocanu, Constantin RaduVasile, Paul Negoescu
GLASS FINGERS (2022) – UNATC animation film online
The animation “Glass Fingers” is probably the most successful production of its kind in recent years in Romania. The film has made its way flawlessly through Europe’s biggest animation festivals such as Annecy, Anima Brussels, found a place in the Sarajevo FF competition and was awarded a special mention at Anim’est in Bucharest. (cinepub.ro)
Directed by: Alina Gheorghe
Script: Alina Gheorghe, Andrei Voineag
Producer: U.N.A.T.C. „I.L. Caragiale”, București
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (1989) – historic film online
“The Moment of Truth” is not just a movie about an important event in Romanian history. The Great Union of 1918 and the political decisions surrounding it are just the general context in which Andrei Blaier creates a love story set in an difficult period between two Shakespearean-inspired characters (coming from two families with different socio-political views)
Directed by: Andrei Blaier
Script: Titus Popovici
Cast: Adrian Păduraru, Ilinca Goia, Alexandru Repan, Mircea Albulescu, Dorina Lazăr, Irina Petrescu, Dorin Varga, Karoly Sinka, Valentin Uritescu, Constantin Diplan, Eusebiu Ștefănescu, Gheorghe Dinică, Bela Buzogany, Anatol Serghiev, Flavius Constantinescu, Ernest Maftei, Teodor Danetti
77 YEARS BACK (2023) – documentary online
When it comes to traveling abroad, Romanians have a predisposition that could be read as ignorance. The tendency was and still is to go West, with variations of South, or even North for the more introverted, but rarely East, which remains a remote and unpenetrated land. In “77 Years Back” we witness just such an atypical journey.
Directed by: Dan Stroie, Alexandru Bodrug
Cast: Victor Stroie
Producer: DSF Media Film
THE KIDNAPPING OF THE MAIDENS (1968) – adventure film online
“The Kidnapping of the Maidens” is not just a tour de force. Its creators understood that in addition to bang-bangs and horse trotters, viewers also look for people in the stories they see. And the people in the movie are not portrayed singularly, but reveal themselves through the tensions, desires and actions they make towards each other – rules of good screenwriting practice, sadly too little heeded in movies of the time. (cinepub.ro)
Directed by: Dinu Cocea
Script: Eugen Barbu, Mihai Opriş, Dinu Cocea
Cast: Emanoil Petruț, Marga Barbu, George Constantin, Toma Caragiu, Olga Tudorache, Gheorghe Ionescu Gion, Florin Scărlătescu, Tanți Cocea, Alexandru Giugaru, Colea Răutu, Marian Hudac, Mihai Pălădescu, Ileana Gurgulescu, Jean Constantin, Elena Caragiu, Draga Olteanu Matei, Telly Barbu, Aimée Iacobescu, Lucia Boga, Marin Moraru, Constantin Guriță, Ernest Maftei
THOU SHALT NOT KILL (2018) – drama film online
The debut movie of directors Gabi Virginia Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru is inspired by a real case, brought to the public’s attention through a journalistic investigation in 2016 – the Hexi Pharma scandal. (cinepub.ro)
Directed by: Gabi Virginia Șarga, Cătălin Rotaru
Script: Gabi Virginia Șarga, Cătălin Rotaru
Cast: Alexandru Suciu, Cristina Flutur, Iulia Verdeș, Codin Mateciuc, Gelu Colceag, Tania Filip, Daniel Popa, Dana Rotaru, Cosmin Seleși, Elias Ferkin, Rolando Matsangos, Olimpia Mălai
VENICE IS BEAUTIFUL IN SEPTEMBER (1983) – UNATC drama film online
It is radical and it is a gesture of true irreverence what Caranfil does here, attacking, more in jest, more seriously, the commodification of the spirit, the fetishization of consumption, of objects and of the human spirit within the upper class.
Directed by: Nae Caranfil
Script: Nae Caranfil after a text by Teodor Mazilu
Cast: Dorina Lazăr, Dan Condurache, Cristina Țopescu, Alexandru Georgescu, Ion Roxin, Radu Iordănescu, Vasile Moisescu, Mihai Marta, Marius Bindea, Marius Bindea, Sandu Gruia, Florian Pittiș
FANTASTIC COMEDY (1975) – fantastic film online
A sci-fi movie, with a touch of lyrical comedy, “like a human irony against human enthusiasm” (Gopo): the presence on Earth of a human-like alien who has come to have a relationship with a scientist who had built a cosmic rocket but disappeared with his invention in a fire, is not without results.
Directed by: Ion Popescu Gopo
Script: Ion Popescu Gopo
Cast: Dem Rădulescu, Cornel Coman, Vasilica Tastman, George Mihăiță, Marta Hertzec, Horia Popescu, Jorj Voicu, Petre Țăranu, Rodica Popescu, Florin Vasiliu, Coca Andronescu, Mihai Berechet, Haralambie Boroș, Niculescu Cadet, Horia Căciulescu, Mircea Bogdan, Eugenia Maci, Gheorghe Simoncea, Ion Dinu, Mihnea Mihăilescu
IANCU JIANU, THE TAX COLLECTOR (1982) – drama movie online
“Iancu Jianu, the Tax Collector” (1982, dir. Dinu Cocea) is the first part of the saga of the outlaw Jianu (Andrei Pintea), a historical character transformed into a hero of a cinematographic epic, through his acts of rebellion and his spirit of social justice. The film focuses on his protagonist’s transition from the son of a wealthy family to a tax collector against the backdrop of a tumultuous period in the history of the the country at the beginning of the 19th century.
Directed by: Dinu Cocea
Cast: Adrian Pintea, Mihai Mereuță, Radu Beligan, Stela Furcovici, Mărioara Sterian, Elena Sereda, Ilarion Ciobanu, Ion Marinescu, Draga Olteanu Matei, Jean Constantin, Mihai Pălădescu, Florina Cercel, Geo Nune, Dinu Petrescu, Emanoil Petruț, Dan Nasta, Cornel Coman, Ion Angelescu-Moreni, Constantin Guriță, Ioana Ciomîrtan, Virgil Platon, Alexandru Lungu, Mihai Badiu, Dorina Done, Ion Punea, Costache Diamandi
CHARLESTON (2017) – drama movie online
A pop-melancholic bromance about death, the rage and despair that surrounds it and the improbable closeness it can generate. Set in a slightly stylized Bucharest, with gangsters, smoke-soaked bars, rock music and fine drinks, “Charleston” is not shy to exude dark humor and pungent testosterone poured through every pore.
Directed by: Andrei Crețulescu
Script: Andrei Crețulescu
Cast: Șerban Pavlu, Radu Iacoban, Ana Ciontea, Victor Rebengiuc, Dorian Boguță, Vlad Galer, Adrian Titieni, Gavril Pătru, Sergiu Costache, Claudiu Dumitru, Gabriela Popescu, Lucian Ifrim, Gheorghe Ifrim, Andreea Vasile, Letiția Vlădescu, Alina Berzunțeanu, Ana Ularu, Iris Spiridon, Istvan Teglas, Rodica Lazăr, Emilian Oprea
BORDERS (2017) – drama movie online
András Hatházi (as Tavi) does a very good job in portraying the discomfort of not belonging. His performance is very much similar to the level of discomfort that Viorel portrays in his relationship with others in “Aurora” (2010, dir. Cristi Puiu). “Borders” does not use the Western, outer space as a collection of postcards – although the places it chooses to represent are certainly beautifully pictorial — but brings them to life through Tavi, making us perceive them through his filter, the filter of a completely alienated man who is now losing his last remaining hope.
Directed by: Andra Hera
Script: Andra Hera
Cast: András Hatházi, Carmen Ungureanu, Mickael Durard, Marie-France Alvarez
BEYOND THE SANDS (1974) – drama movie online
“Beyond the Sands” reveals an intense Balkan saga, with road-movie and coming-of-age overtones, in a local convention of outlaw movies. Revenge and disillusionment are constant themes throughout and dictate the film’s subsidiary force, set against a gray swampy landscape near Braila.
Directed by: Radu Gabrea
Script: Fănuș Neagu, adapted from the novel „The Angel Cried Out”
Cast: Dan Nuțu, George Constantin, Mircea Albulescu, Emil Botta, Gina Patrichi, Violeta Andrei, Vasile Nițulescu, Gheorghe Dinică, Ernst Maftei, Constantin Rauțchi, Ștefan Mihăilescu-Brăila
OTHERWISE MAGAZINE
Mohamed Tomescu
Passionate about hip-hop and raised by his grandmother in Vama village, in Romania’s Suceava county, Mohamed wants to change his surname but is troubled by how his Syrian father would react to his decision.
Otherwise is a publication run by a team of editors from academia, writing and the visual arts. A space for sharing stories that matter, encouraging the cultivation and practice of storytelling as a narrative of ordinary, everyday life.
Discover more interesting articles on Otherwise website
WATCH MORE ROMANIAN MOVIES ONLINE
UNCLE MARIN, THE BILLIONAIRE (1979) – comedy film online
IANCU JIANU, THE TAX COLLECTOR (1982) – drama film online
When Going to Fight the Blizzard and the Night is Good to Have Somebody with You – short film online
FANTASTIC COMEDY (1975) – fantastic film online
M.B. IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ON THE SEASIDE (1971) – comedy movie online
THE KIDNAPPING OF THE MAIDENS (1968) – adventure film online
THE MISCELLANEOUS BRIGADE STRIKES AGAIN (1970) – comedy film online
In Which the Protagonist Hides and Then Has an Unexpected Encounter
Extravaganzia Large, Thin Crust and Hot Sauce – short film online
Aurora – feature film
MEDA OR THE NOT SO BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS (2017) – feature film online
THROUGH THE ASHES OF THE EMPIRE (1976) – war movie online
A MIDSUMMER DAY’S SMILE (1964) – comedy movie online
Love Building – feature film online
An Ambiguous Geographical Area, but, for Now, Let’s Call It a Delta – short film online
CHARLESTON (2017) – drama film online
CRITICS RECOMMENDATIONS | LAURENȚIU BRĂTAN | FEATURE FILMS
STUFF AND DOUGH
Director: Cristi Puiu
Date: 2001
Category: FEATURE FILM
Duration: 90 min.
DOMESTIC
Directed by: Adrian Sitaru
Date: 2012
Category: FEATURE FILM
Duration: 85 min.
ADALBERT’S DREAM
Director: Gabriel Achim
Date: 2011
Category: FEATURE FILM
Duration: 98 min.
THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD
Director: Radu Jude
Date: 2009
Category: FEATURE FILM
Duration: 99 min.
THE UNSAVED
Director: Igor Cobileanski
Date: 2013
Category: FEATURE FILM
Duration: 82 min.
Q&A
Questions and Answers, in short Q&As, is the acronym used by the film festivals to name the discussions held after the screening between the public and the team behind the film. We bring to you for watching online an important number of Romanian short films, and after the „screening” we invite you to a Q&A session involving questions that had been asked by our Cinepub team or already addressed by our viewers on our Facebook page and the filmmakers’ answers. The Q&As represent a way to find out more about the people behind the films: directors, scriptwriters, directors of photography, producers or actors.