15th Making Waves: New Romanian Cinema

February 18-24, 2021 | ONLINE IN THE U.S.
Co-presented with the Jacob Burns Film Center

We are happy to present the 15th edition of Making Waves, to take place exclusively online February 18-24th, 2021, in collaboration with our long-term partners at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY.

The best of #NewRomanianCinema is back in the US according to the particular times we are living, with numerous #USPremieres and #bonusmaterials ready to cross the Atlantic with one single click. Feel free to prepare your pajamas, pearl necklaces and favorite cocktail recipes in order to enjoy an intimate yet intense #cinematicexperience in the comfort of your living room.

It’s been a great year for the Romanian documentary, with both collective by Alexander Nanau and Acasă, My Home by Radu Ciorniciuc getting a well deserved exposure and recognition worldwide thanks to their uncompromising tackling on some of the hottest topics around: corruption and gentrification. It only seemed logical to place these two socially aware highlights as the opening and the closing of the Making Waves’ 15th edition. In between these “covers”, the much-debated Cristi Puiu’s Malmkrog returns on the American virtual ground to create more havoc after last year’s NYFF selection, while four other fresh titles will meet the US audience for the first time: the election-driven The Campaign by Marian Crisan (pushing the corruption hot button once again); the playful Balkan comedy Ivana the Terrible by Ivana Mladenovic; the intricate mystery puzzle Legacy by actor-turned-director Dorian Boguta; and yet another documentary and most endearing of them all, House of Dolls by Tudor Platon, with its delightful quartet of young-spirited old ladies. Last but not least, this anniversary edition of the oldest Romanian film event in the U.S. will catch up with the best Romanian shorts from the recent years, including the top winners of the Romanian Days section at the recent editions of the Transilvania International Film Festival: The Christmas Gift (2018), Sandals (2019), and Sorrow (2020). In a time that gives the “wave” term a bad reputation, we’re here to make some good ones!

FILMS AND MORE

We may not be able to come together in a cinema now, but the festival spirit is still here with filmmakers and Romanian film champions offering insighful takes on the New Romanian Cinema. We have prepared introductions to all films and exclusive pre-recorded interviews with filmmakers and actors for the films in U.S. Premiere. While the latter are available only for pass holders, we offer below a sneak peek:

Insula 42 Salon with Richard Peña

On the occasion of the15th online edition of Making Waves, Salon Insula 42 invited Richard Peña for a live "essential conversation" with Corina Șuteu on 15 years and more of Romanian film excellency and its reception in the U.S.

MW15 Interviews: Ivana Mladenović

Get a sneak peek at the conversation between director Ivana Mladenović and Making Waves president Corina Șuteu on IVANA THE TERRIBLE. The full interview is available to stream after the film.

MW15 Interviews: Marian Crișan

For the 15th online edition of Making Waves, we celebrate the U.S. Premiere of select films with pre-recorded conversations with their filmmakers. Director Marian Crișan speaks with artistic director Mihai Chirilov about THE CAMPAIGN. Here's a glimpse.

MW15 Interviews: Tudor Platon

Director Tudor Platon discusses with Making Waves president Corina Șuteu about his debut feature HOUSE OF DOLLS. The full interview is available to stream after the film.

MW15 Interviews: Irina Rădulescu

Get a sneak peek at the conversation between actress Irina Rădulescu and Making Waves artistic director Mihai Chirilov on LEGACY, directed by Dorina Boguță. The full interview is available to stream after the film.

MW15 Recommends: Mihai Chirilov on this edition’s program

Artistic director Mihai Chirilov on the selection of the 15th edition of Making Waves: New Romanian Cinema.

MW15 Recommends: Andrei Șerban on The Best Shorts

Andrei Șerban, the highly regarded Romanian theatre director and Columbia University Professor of Theater, makes a beautiful recommendation of the six shorts in the festival.

MW15 Recommends: Andrew Jupin on COLLECTIVE

JBFC Senior Film Programmer Andrew Jupin on Alexander Nanau's COLLECTIVE, shortlisted for the Academy Awards in the Best Documentary and Best International Film categories.

MW15 Recommends: Andrei Codrescu on THE CAMPAIGN

Poet, novelist, and essayist Andrei Codrescu offers a charming take on Marian Crișan's latest, THE CAMPAIGN, presented at MW15 in U.S. Premiere.

MW15 Recommends: Mihai Chirilov on MALMKROG

Artistic director Mihai Chirilov on Cristi Puiu's latest opus, MALMKROG.

MW15 Recommends: Richard Peña on HOUSE OF DOLLS

Richard Peña, professor of Film and Media Studies at Columbia University, introduces Tudor Platon's debut HOUSE OF DOLLS, presented in U.S. Premiere.

MW15 Recommends: Richard Peña on IVANA THE TERRIBLE

Richard Peña, professor of Film and Media Studies at Columbia University, introduces IVANA THE TERRIBLE, a film by Ivana Mladenović, presented in U.S. Virtual Premiere.

MW15 Recommends: Richard Peña on LEGACY

Richard Peña, professor of Film and Media Studies at Columbia University, introduces LEGACY, the debut feature of actor-director Dorian Boguță, in U.S. Premiere

MW15 Recommends: Andrew Jupin on ACASĂ, MY HOME

JBFC Senior Film Programmer Andrew Jupin on Sundance-winner ACASĂ, MY HOME, by Radu Ciorniciuc

The 15th Making Waves Trailer

Watch the 15th edition trailer!

TICKETS

Festival passes are available in the JBFC Virtual Marquee. (Please note: no tickets are available to individual films, only series passes are available.)

Pricing is $60 (members), $70 (nonmembers). Festival passes offer access all films in the festival, introductions, as well as exclusive pre-recorded interviews with filmmakers and actors for the titles in U.S. Premiere.

Each day from February 18-24 a new feature film becomes available (browse the schedule here) and you have 48 hours to start watching. Once you begin, you’ll have 48 hours to finish watching. The shorts are available for streaming from February 19-24.

OUR SUPPORTERS

Lead support for Making Waves is provided by the Trust for Mutual Understanding and the JBFC Program Fund, with additional support from the Romanian National Film Center and individual donors.

We would like to thank Stefania Magidson, Ed Blau, Alexandru Salcianu, Andrei Both, Carmen Florina Paraschiv, Mihai Cucui, Vlad Bogaciu, Adrian Coman, Vlad Jenkins, Tudor Leu, Jane Lombard, Bogdan George Apetri, Kyoko Hirano, George Murnu & Anonymous for their continued and generous support for Making Waves.

As we prepare for the festival with additional bonus materials for a festival vibe, please consider #making a DONATION and take advantage of our benefits. Expectedly this year, donations were not as high as usual, but expenses that used to go to travel and accommodation are now going to accommodate the needs of online platforms and marketing, the film rights and complimentary #interviews with directors and actors.