25/08/2014 - Autumn is Romanian producers’ and directors’ favourite season to release their features

Last year, a record number of domestic productions – approximately 15 – were released in Romanian cinemas, and 2014 is not that far behind: more than ten productions have already been announced for a premiere over the next three months.

The start of the domestic season is heralded by Love Bus: Five Love Stories from Bucharest [+see also:
film review
film profile], released last Friday. The omnibus film consists of shorts directed by five very young Romanian film school students and graduates. An omnibus is the only way to release short films in cinemas, and grouping them under the umbrella of the popular topic of love may be appealing to Romanian audiences.

September kicks off with Kyra Kyralina, a period drama set at the beginning of the 20^th century. The director is Dan Piţa, winner of a Silver Bear – Honorable Mention at the Berlinale in 1986 and a Silver Lion at Venice in 1992. The Crypt, Corneliu Gheorghiţă’s second feature, about a French businessman (Serge Riaboukine) trapped in a deserted town, will be released on 12 September.

On 19 September there follows America, Here We Come!, Răzvan Săvescu’s first feature, a comedy about a group of Romanian actors facing many misadventures while on tour in the United States. After a world premiere at the Mons International Love Film Festival, Andrei Gheorghe’s first feature, It Takes Two to Fence, will be domestically released on 24 September. The film stars Olimpia Melinte, nominated this year for the Best New Actress Goya Award for Manuel Martín Cuenca’s Cannibal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Manuel Martín Cuenca
film profile].

10 October comes with probably the most interesting domestic release of 2014, Quod Erat Demonstrandum [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrei Gruzsniczki
interview: Andrei Gruzsniczki
film profile]. Andrei Gruzsniczki’s black-and-white drama set in the latter years of the Romanian communist era received the Special Jury Award at the 2013 Rome International Film Festival. In addition, having shot to fame after her feature debut, #Selfie [+see also:
film review
film profile], became one of the most popular domestic releases of the last decade, taking approximately 90,000 admissions, director Cristina Iacob will release A Gift For You, a love story starring Dragoş Bucur and Raluca Aprodu.

An autumn release has also been announced for Bobby Păunescu’s The Pioneer Palace, Nicolae Mărgineanu’s Poarta Albă and Kiki Vasilescu’s Therapy for Murder.