07/02/2024 - Anatol Durbală’s Varvara and Ioane Bobeica’s Thunders also emerged as laureates at the ceremony

The winners of the second Moldovan Filmmakers’ Union Gala

After a three-year period during which no awards gala was held at all by the Moldovan Filmmakers’ Union, on Monday night, the Palace of the Republic in Chişinău was lit up by the second edition of the gala intended to celebrate the activity of the local film community. The big winner of the night was Ion Borş’s Carbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which took home six of the awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

The jury made up of film professionals from both Moldova and Romania (among them the author of this article) turned Ioane Bobeica’s Thunders, which is the Moldovan Oscar candidate in this year’s Best International Feature category (see the news), into another winner of the night. Teenage actress Tincuţa Josan and first-time thesp Anatol Mârzenco took home the Best Actress and Best Actor Awards, with a third nod being won thanks to Nicu Drăgan and director Ioane Bobeica’s camerawork. A non-competitive award was given to Sergiu Cumatrenco Jr for being the country’s most prolific producer, as he is the main producer for Carbon and Varvara [+see also:
interview: Anatol Durbală
film profile], and one of the producers of Thunders.

Several mentions were made throughout the night, including by Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan and director of the Moldovan National Film Center Valentina Iusuphodjaev, of the necessity of a film fund which would increase the amounts being made available to local producers and directors. From the gala’s point of view, there are years when there is no reason to organise such an event, as too few films are made. Virgiliu Mărgineanu, the president of the Moldovan Filmmakers’ Union, told Cineuropa that he hoped the next gala would be organised in two years’ time. “Hopefully, at some point, we will have enough films for a yearly event,” Mărgineanu said.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Best Film
Carbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Ion Borş (Moldova/Romania/Spain)

Best Director
Ion Borş - Carbon

Best Screenplay
Mariana Starciuc - Carbon

Best Actress
Tincuţa Josan - Thunders

Best Actor
Anatol Mârzenco - Thunders

Best Cinematography
Nicu Drăgan, Ioane Bobeica - Thunders

Best Editing
Sergiu Barajin - Carbon

Best Original Music
Pavel Malișev - Varvara [+see also:
interview: Anatol Durbală
film profile] (Moldova/Romania)

Best Score
Roman Bordei - Carbon

Best Art Direction
Gabriela Răbuș - Varvara

Best Costumes
Lilia Ixari - Carbon

Best Documentary
The Freedom Republic. Essay - Vadim Tristan Belocur
Special Mention
The Road to War. Irpin - Viorica Tătaru, Andrei Captarenco

Best TV Show
The Homemakers - Mircea Bobînă

Best Short Film
I Am Dorin - Valeriu Andriuţă