February 28, 2024

SPECIAL SCREENING Lucian Bratu’s forgotten crowd-pleaser from Communist Romania gets a well-deserved exposure thanks to the bits and pieces featured extensively in the latest agit-prop from Radu Jude, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. It is an unexpected opportunity to reconsider this bittersweet gem about a divorced, jaded and refreshingly cynical female taxi driver free-wheeling through a traffic-jammed routine. That is until she bumps into a new love interest. On the surface it may look like a social(ist) dramedy of its time, embracing the clichés of most women’s lives. What lies underneath though is a work of quiet subversiveness and subtle feminism that recalls a certain, less obvious Scorsese movie: just like Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Dorina Lazăr’s magnetic presence and flair for heart-tugging warmth make for a rewarding ride.

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February 28, 2024

U.S. AVANT-PREMIERE Following his fascinating period piece Malmkrog, Cristi Puiu returns with an equally loquacious epic of a different sort. Ironically reflected in the Roman numerals of the title, the annus horribilis 2020 becomes the backdrop for a daring quartet of seemingly unconnected shorts. The dominant tone is rage, complete with extra layers of domestic unrest that defined the pandemic times. Rigorously composed, some episodes are two-hander conversations captured in a single shot, another one echoes the choreographed chaos in Sieranevada. It’s an intriguing and provocative offer steering from the director’s conviction that back then, dialogue was perceived as an aggression. Going from absurdly funny to grimly macabre, this hard-hitting medley of ‘human comedy’ proportions encapsulates the mundane, bizarre and brutal essence of the deceptive world we all live in.


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February 28, 2024

NEW YORK PREMIERE. Q&A with producer Oana Bujgoi Giurgiu following both screenings. The rallying cry that shook Romania in 1989 becomes a chilling backdrop to the true events depicted in this hyper-kinetic historical drama. As protests against the oppressive Ceausescu regime engulf the country, a local police station in the city of Sibiu becomes a chaotic battleground. A violent assault erupts into a bloody clash between soldiers, police, civilians yearning for freedom, and the dreaded Securitate secret police. Each side fights to control the narrative, manipulating information and stoking confusion amidst the turmoil. Caught in the crossfire, a group of men attempting to escape the siege are captured by the army and thrown in an empty swimming pool holding hundreds of other prisoners accused of terrorism. Revisiting this hidden chapter three decades later, it’s a cynical reminder of the challenging foundation upon which Romanian democracy was born.

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February 28, 2024

SPECIAL SCREENING This special screening, held in celebration of Parajanov's centennial, offers a rare glimpse into the enchanting world of the Ukrainian Hutsul people, a mountain community whose culture and traditions extend into neighboring Romania. Set in the Carpathian Mountains, the story follows the star-crossed lovers, Ivan and Marichka, whose passionate bond is tragically tested by ancient feuds and societal pressures. It’s a stunning work of breathtaking beauty, based on a beloved novella by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, that transcends the boundaries of language through its vibrant interplay of imagery and evocative music. Lauded by film titans Godard and Tarkovsky, this timeless masterpiece unfolds like a majestic visual symphony of rich colors, symbolism, and dreamlike sequences, drawing inspiration from Ukrainian folk art and mythology, infusing the story with a poetic soul.

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February 28, 2024

NEW YORK PREMIERE. Q&A with director Oana Bujgoi Giurgiu. Facing a shortage of skilled agents for a daring rescue mission in occupied Eastern Europe, the Allies turned to a resourceful group of Jewish immigrants who had fled Nazi persecution and arrived in Palestine. These individuals, fluent in the local languages and familiar with the customs, were ideally suited for the task. Trained in Egypt by MI9, they infiltrated Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Romania to locate American prisoners of war and support resistance movements. Due to limited archival footage, Oana Giurgiu delivers the story through a series of still images from reenactments with actors. It’s an innovative approach that effectively creates a sense of watching a live-action film. Shedding light on a lesser-known chapter of WWII, this creative documentary celebrates the unwavering courage of these unlikely heroes who found themselves thrust into the world of espionage.

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February 28, 2024

NEW YORK PREMIERE An ambulance driver's life spirals into darkness after a botched robbery. Fleeing the scene, he accidentally strikes a witness who falls into a coma, ultimately succumbing under suspicious circumstances. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, he embarks on a relentless pursuit of the truth, the line between hunter and hunted blurring with each step. Razor-sharp dialogue crackles with tension, drawing you deeper into the labyrinthine plot and the protagonist's unravelling psyche. Following his acclaimed 2016 debut, Dogs, Bogdan Mirică's Boss offers a thrilling departure from the conventions of New Romanian cinema. Recalling the captivating ambiguity of The Usual Suspects, this stylish neo-noir, brimming with intricate twists and turns, is a genre-bending experience that rewrites the rules for Bucharest's underbelly with its own distinct personality.

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February 28, 2024

NEW YORK PREMIERE Vlad Petri's acclaimed documentary weaves a poignant tapestry of two women's lives, Maria and Zahra, separated by distance yet united by a shared desire for freedom. They met in 1970s in Bucharest as university students and forged a deep friendship that continued even after Zahra's forced return to Iran, sustained through heartfelt letters. Their correspondence depicts the women navigating their complex emotions for each other, which go beyond mere friendship. Petri utilizes rare archival footage, transporting the audience to the heart of historical upheavals in both countries. We witness the exhilaration of protests and the despair that followed disillusionment. Blurring the lines between documentary and fiction, Between Revolutions also explores the enduring power of female friendship and the universal human desire for a life free from oppression.

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February 28, 2024

NEW YORK PREMIERE. Q&A with director Ilinca Călugăreanu. A Cautionary Tale plunges us into the surreal odyssey of a man who, after 25 years abroad, returns home only to discover he's been declared legally dead. This stranger-than-fiction story made international headlines in 2018, exposing the absurdity of a system that refused to acknowledge his existence despite his physical presence in court. Director Călugăreanu embeds herself in his arduous quest to reclaim his identity, capturing both his desperation and unwavering determination. As the film delves deeper, however, unsettling questions arise about his narrative. Was he truly a victim of bureaucratic blunder, or is there a hidden truth lurking beneath the surface? This thought-provoking exploration, laced with dry humor, leaves viewers grappling with the complexities of truth and the thin line between victim and manipulator.

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November 1, 2021

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November 1, 2021

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May 11, 2023

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May 11, 2023

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May 11, 2023

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May 11, 2023

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May 11, 2023

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