National Film Center boost for Romanian cinema

by Stefan Dobroiu

21/11/2011 - 2013 could be a big year for Romanian cinema: the country's three most famous directors received grants from the National Film Center and are expected to compete in the most prestigious festivals of the world. This year's only funding session had a budget of approximately €2.3 million, shared by a total of 18 new film projects.

The most generous grant went to Cristian Mungiu (pictured - Palme d'Or winner for 4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days [trailer, film focus]) and his latest project, Provisional (working title). The screenplay, also written by Mungiu was considered the best by the jury. Production company Mobra Films has received a grant of €260,000 for the project.

€245,000 went to Corneliu Porumboiu's third feature, A 9-Minute Time Span, produced by 42 Km Film, while Mandragora Movies received €200,000 for Cristi Puiu's At the Manor. Florin Serban's You Flow Through My Veins (a co-production with Fantascope) received €185,000, Horatiu Malaele's The Blue Knight (MediaPro Pictures) €195,000, Mihai Ionescu's The Shoe Box (Gef Art Film) €170,000 and Tudor Giurgiu's Cristian (Libra Film) €168,000.

€330,000 of the National Film Center's funding budget went to first features: Castel Film received €200,000 for Vlad Paunescu's The Queen of Live Broadcasting, written by Adrian Lustig, Hi Film Productions has €115,000 for Catrinel Danaiata's Double and Saga, and there was €6,600 for Sorin Marin's 7 of Hearts.

Only two documentaries received grants from the National Film Center: Andrei Ujica's Beatles, produced by Mandragora Movies took €175,000 and Sorin Iliesiu's The Devil Filled the Sky with Saints €42,000. Winning animation projects were Arabesque, directed by Alexei Gubenco and produced by Vivid Studio (€120,000) and Iancu Andrei's Decebal's Treasure, produced by Film Location Guide (€105,000).