Every year, starting with the 2005 edition, one of the sections most anticipated by the festival audience at Transilvania Film Festival is the one dedicated to the best of domestic cinema. For three days, film lovers will be able to enjoy during the Romanian Days the best recent domestic productions, some of which will be screened in Romania for the first time, and some as world premieres.
This year's selection, put together by the Festival's Artistic Director, Mihai Chirilov, is made up of 12 features, 4 medium-length films and 11 short films. The highlights of the feature film selection are, no doubt, Cătălin Mitulescu's new feature, Loverboy, and Constantin Popescu's Principles of Life, with Vlad Ivanov in his first main role, as Chirilov points out the unquestionable hits of the 2011 Romanian Days selection.
Straight from the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected in the Un Certain Regard section, Loverboy, the second feature directed by Cătălin Mitulescu, travels to Transilvania IFF to meet the festival's audience and compete with the other outstanding Romanian films of the year. Ada Condeescu and George Piştereanu, the main actors of If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle (d. Florin Şerban), winner of the Silver Berlin Bear – Grand Jury Award and the Alfred Bauer Award at the 2010 Berlinale and 7 Gopo Awards in 2011, including one for Best Film, this film tells the story 20-year old boy who charms girls, makes them fall in love with him and passes them over to a human trafficking network in the Black Sea port Constanta. For the policemen in the human trafficking department, this recruitment method is called „the method by seducing” and the ones who practice it, „loverboys”. However, the boy's plans are overturned when he falls madly in love with Veli, one of the girls he was supposed to recruit.
Director Constantin Popescu returns to the Romanian Days with his second feature: Principles of Life. His first feature, Portrait of the Fighter as a Young Man, was presented at TIFF 2010 at Berlin Film Festival 2010 (Berlinale Forum).
The film is also one of the contenders for the Transilvania Trophy, being the only Romanian production present in this year's TIFF Official Competition. The main part is played by Vlad Ivanov (4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days), with important supporting roles from Gabriel Huian, known from the medium-length film Marilena from P7 (by late Cristian Nemescu) and Rodica Lazăr (The Death of Mr Lăzărescu, Amen).
Mihai Chirilov mentions, amongst the highlights of the feature film selection, several other titles: George Dorobanțu, winner of the TIFF Best Debut Award for Elevator, returns with an original experimental essay, under the title Bucharestless. A special mention to Lucian Georgescu's debut on a script written in collaboration with Barry Gifford, The Phantom Father, film on whose birth TIFF had a contribution, by inviting the American writer to be in the 2003 jury.
If the Seed Doesn't Die, by Sinișa Dragin, is another title with can be viewed during the Romanian Days. The film won the Robert Bosch Stiftung Audience Award at Rotterdam Film Festival in 2011 and was selected in 2010 in the competition of the most important Japanese film festival, the one in Tokyo. The feature tells the story of two fathers, a Serbian one and a Romanian one, who are trying to deal with drama. The Serbian man comes to Romania to recover his dead son's corpse, while the Romanian one is trying to find his daughter, sold as a prostitute in Kosovo.
If the Seed Doesn't Die is the forth feature film by Sinișa Dragin. He has also directed Everyday God Kisses Us on the Mouth (2002), awarded the Golden Tiger at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2002, The Pharaoh (2001) and Long Journey by Train (1997).
The Romanian Days line-up aligns other titles which have swept the international film festivals, such as Morgen (d. Marian Crişan), winner of three awards at Locarno Film Festival 2010, and three awards at Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2010 (Best Director Award, Best Male Performance Award: András Hatházi and Yilmaz Yalcin, FIPRESCI Award), Outbound by Bogdan George Apetri, awarded, among others, the Boccalino d’Oro Independent Critics' Award for Best Performance (Ana Ularu) at Locarno International Film Festival 2010.
This year's Romanian Days are not lacking in documentaries either: Romanian-German co-production Close to Heaven, a film directed by Titus Faschina, whose soundtrack is signed by the unmistakable Alexander Bălănescu, and which won the ERT3 Broadcasting Special Mention and WWF Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2011, Metrobranding – a Love Story between Men and Objects, by Ana Vlad and Adi Voicu, as well as the medium-length films Party and Contest in Ciupleniţa, by Liviu Săndulescu, The Corlat Valley, by Stephane Lucon and 24 buckets, 7 mice, 18 years, by Marius Iacob.
At TIFF 2011, 11 impressive short films complement the recent national film offer. They include Silent River (d. Anca Miruna-Lăzărescu), present in the 2011 short-film competition of Berlin Film Festival; Stop Over (d. Ioana Uricaru), selected in the 2011 Official Competition of Sundance Film Festival, film starring Monica Bîrlădeanu, the actress who was part of 2010 TIFF jury, and the singer Marian Drăghici; Draft 7 – the film with which Luiza Pârvu returns to the TIFF selection, after she competed in 2010 within the same section with The Birthday; the documentary You Can't Hide Love from Gypsies (d. Mara Trifu), present in Cannes 2011, in the Critics' Week / Semaine de la Critique (NISI MASA programme), as well as Superman, Spiderman or Batman (d. Tudor Giurgiu), having its world premiere screening at TIFF.
Mihai Chirilov also recommends the festival audience a number of documentary and short-film titles from the Romanian Days selection: the pièce de résistance of the documentary slot is the German-Romanian feature Close to Heaven, by Titus Faschina and co-produced by Thomas Ciulei, while 15 titles are fighting in the competition for the best short-film, amongst which the most radical title of the programme, the daring Film for Friends by Radu Jude, two films already shown in Sundance and Berlin, respectively - Stopover (by Ioana Uricaru, based on a script by Cristian Mungiu) and Silent River (by Anca Miruna Lăzărescu) – and the excellent 24 buckets, 7 mice, 18 years (by Marius Iacob), screened for the first time.
This year, the jury which will decide the winners of the Romanian Days, for Best Film and Best Debut, is made up of 3 personalities of European cinema: Nadia Paschetto – director and programmer of Arras International Film Festival, Dana Enulescu – BBC correspondent for the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Rome and Daniela Michel – director of Morelia Film Festival.
ROMANIAN DAYS 2011 SELECTION
FEATURE FILMS
Adalbert's Dream / Visul lui Adalbert
(d. Gabriel Achim, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Gabriel Spahiu, Doru Ana, Anca Androne. Ozana Oancea, Paul Ipate, Mimi Brănescu, Mircea Rusu
World premiere
Bucharestless
(d. George Dorobanţu, Romania, 2011)
World premiere
Close to Heaven / Aproape de cer
(d. Titus Faschina, Romania – Germany, 2011)
Documentary
Awards and selections: Special Mention at ERT3 Broadcasting, WWF Award at Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2011
Different Mothers / Despre alte mame
(d. Mihai Ionescu, Tiberiu Iordan, Romania, 2010)
Cast: Silviu Geamănu, Gavril Pătru, Marius Adrian Cordoş, Mihai Baranga, Robert Radoveneanu
Awards and selections: International Film Club'S Federation Award at Moscow International Film Festival 2010
If the Seed Doesn't Die / Dacă bobul nu moare
(d. Sinisa Dragin, Romania, 2010)
Cast: Mustafa Nadarevic, Dan Condurache, Milos Tanaskovic, Franz Buchrieser, Ioana Barbu
Awards and selections: Robert Bosch Stiftung Audience Award at Rotterdam Film Festival 2011; Tokyo Film Festival 2010
Loverboy
(d. Cătălin Mitulescu, Romania, 2011)
Cast: George Piştereanu, Ada Condeescu, Ion Besoiu
Awards and selections: selected in the Un Certain Regard competition at Cannes Film Festival 2011
Metrobranding – a Love Story between Men and Objects
(d. Ana Vlad & Adi Voicu, Romania, 2010)
Documentary
Awards and selections: DokLeipzig International Film Festival 2010; Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival (Czech Republic) 2010; European Film Festival (Romania) 2011
Morgen
(d. Marian Crişan, Romania-Franţa-Ungaria, 2010)
Cast: András Hatházi, Yilmaz Yalcin, Elvira Rîmbu
Awards and selections: 11 nominations, including Best Film at the Gopo Awards 2011 (Romania); Special Jury Prize, Ecumenical Jury Prize, Don Quijote Award, IIIrd Prize in the Youth Jury selection at Locarno Film Festival 2010; Best Director, Best Male Performance Awards (András Hatházi and Yilmaz Yalcin), FIPRESCI Award at Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2010
Outbound / Periferic
(d. Bogdan George Apetri, Romania-Austria, 2010)
Cast: Ana Ularu, Mimi Brănescu, Andi Vasluianu, Ioana Flora, Timotei Duma
Awards and selections: Boccalino d’Oro Independent Critics' Award for Best Performance (Ana Ularu) at Locarno International Film Festival 2010; Special Jury Prize, Special Mention of the Ecumenical Jury, FIPRESCI Award at Warsaw International Film Festival 2010; Greek Film Critics' Association Award, Best Actress Award (Ana Ularu) and Golden Alexander – Best Feature Film Award at Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2010; FIPRESCI Award at Vienna International Film Festival (Viennale) 2010
Principles of Life / Principii de viață
(d. Constantin Popescu, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Gabriel Huian, Vlad Ivanov, Rodica Lazăr
Awards and selections: Official Competition - San Sebastian International Film Festival 2010; East End Londra International Film Festival 2010; Bratislava International Film Festival 2010; Göteborg International Film Festival 2011
The Bear / Ursul
(d. Dan Chişu, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Mihai Constantin, Şerban Pavlu, Magda Catone, Claudiu Bleonţ, Gabriel Spahiu, Serban Celea
The Phantom Father / Tatăl fantomă
(d. Lucian Georgescu, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Marcel Iureş, Mihaela Sârbu, Barry Gifford, Victor Rebengiuc, Mariana Mihuţ
World premiere
MEDIUM-LEGTH FILMS
24 buckets, 7 mice, 18 years / 24 Găleţi, 7 Şoareci, 18 ani
(d. Marius Iacob, Romania, 2011)
Documentary
World premiere
A Film for Friends / Film pentru prieteni
(d. Radu Jude, Romania, 2011)
Cu. Gabriel Spahiu, Şerban Pavlu
Awards and selections: NexT International Film Festival 2011 (Romania); European Film Festival (Romania) 2011
Party and Contest in Ciupleniţa / Petrecere şi concurs în Ciupelnița
(d. Liviu Săndulescu, Romania 2011)
Documentary
World premiere
The Corlat Valley / Valea Corlatului
(d. Stephane Lucon, Romania, 2011)
Documentary
Awards and selections: One World Romania Human Rights Documentary Film Festival 2011
SHORT FILMS
Bora Bora
(d. Bogdan Mirică, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Mirela Zeţa, Alexandru Potocean
Awards and selections: NexT International Film Festival 2011 (Romania)
Draft 7
(d. Luiza Pârvu, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Olimpia Melinte, Eduard Petru Jighirgiu
Awards and selections: UNATC Rector's Award – CineMAiubit International Student Film Festival 2010 (work-in-progress); NexT International Film Festival 2011 (Romania); Timishort International Short Film Festival 2011 (Romania); Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Short Film Corner)
Lunch Break / Pauza de masă
(d. Ciprian Alexandrescu, 2010)
Cast: Vlad Ivanov, Mihaela Sârbu, Tudor Aaron Istodor
Awards and selections: Timishort International Short Film Festival 2011 (Romania)
Outrageously Disco
(d. Nicolae Constantin Tănase, Romania, 2009)
Cast: Aylin Cadîr, George Albert Costea
Awards and selections: Critics' Award and Best Art Direction – CineMAiubit International Student Film Festival 2009 (Romania); NexT International Film Festival 2010 (Romania); Timishort International Short Film Festival 2010 (Romania)
Silent River / Apele tac
(d. Anca Miruna Lăzărescu, Germany-Romania, 2011)
Cast: Andi Vasluianu, Toma Cuzin
Awards and selections: Official Competition - Berlin International Film Festival 2011; Audience Award for a Romanian film, Best Romanian Film, Special Jury Mention at NexT International Film Festival 2011; Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Short Film Corner)
Stopover
(d. Ioana Uricaru, Romania – Italia, 2011)
Cast: Monica Bîrlădeanu, Damian Drăghici
Awards and selections: Official Competition – Sundance Film Festival (USA) 2011
Strung Love
(d. Victor Dragomir, Romania, 2010)
Cast: Bogdan Marhodin, Alexandru Potocean, Olivia Niţă
Awards and selections: nominated for the Gopo Film Awards 2011 (Romania) for Best Short Film; Best Actor Award, Critics' Award, CineMAiubit Trophy 2010 (Romania); Audience Award – Filmul de Piatra Short Film Festival 2011 (Romania); NexT International Film Festival 2011 (Romania); Timishort International Short Film Festival 2011 (Romania), Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Short Film Corner)
Superman, Spiderman or Batman / Superman, Spiderman sau Batman
(d. Tudor Giurgiu, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Zsolt Bogdan, Aron Hanga, Cornel Răileanu
World premiere
The Counting Device / Numărătoarea manuală
(d. Daniel Sandu, Romania, 2010)
Cast: Alexandru Georgescu, Cătălin Stelian
Awards and selections: NexT International Film Festival 2011 (Romania)
Transylvania Girl / Fata din Transilvania
(d. Sabin Dorohoi, Romania, 2011)
Cast: Maia Morgenstern, Andreea Vasile, Orlando Petriceanu
World premiere
You Can't Hide Love from Gypsies
(d. Mara Trifu, 2011)
Documentary
Awards and selections: Semaine de la Critique ( NISI MASA programme) at Cannes Film Festival 2011
