The inaugural edition of the Romanian Film Festival in the United Kingdom, scheduled to take place from 27 November to 1 December, will open with Romania's official Oscar submission, the film "Traffic" ("Jaful Secolului") directed by Cristian Mungiu.
Based on a true story, the film follows a group of Romanian immigrants in the Netherlands who decide to carry out a heist that will make them famous. Inspired by the famous 2012 robbery in which several Romanians stole paintings by Picasso, Monet and Gauguin from a Dutch museum, the film offers a profound reflection on Eastern and Western Europe, identity, guilt and belonging, shows the film's presentation.
According to a press release from the Department for Romanians Abroad, the festival, which replaces the former Romanian Film Festival in London, will take place in the British capital and in Colchester. Screenings in London will be held at the renowned Curzon Soho art cinema, while in Colchester they will take place at the Firstsite gallery cinema.
"In 2009, I had the opportunity to be among the volunteers of the Romanian Film Festival in London, organised at that time by Ramona Mitrica with the support of the Ratiu Foundation. It was there that I met my colleague and current artistic director of the new festival, Alexandru Gherman. With this new initiative, we very much hope to bring Romanian films back to the attention of cinephiles both in London and in Colchester, the city where I live, which was also the first capital of Roman England," said Manuela Morar, the festival director.
"I am pleased that the initiative to screen the best Romanian films of the year in London will continue. I hope the festival will keep contributing to the discovery of Romanian films by the local English-speaking audience," added Cristian Mungiu.
The festival is funded by the Department for Romanians Abroad with 100,000 lei.
"I am delighted to see the revival of the Romanian Film Festival in London. From its relatively modest launch more than 20 years ago, the festival, proudly supported by the Ratiu Foundation, became an annual initiative thanks to the outstanding award-winning productions from Romania and the careful guidance of the late Ramona Mitrica. Now we once again have a future to look forward to," said Nicolae Ratiu MBE, president of the Ratiu Family Charitable Foundation.
According to the festival's artistic director, Alexandru Gherman, the programme will feature feature-length and short films, as well as masterpieces from the history of Romanian cinema. Most of the films will be screened in the United Kingdom for the first time and will be accompanied by question-and-answer sessions with members of the production teams.
The Romanian Film Festival in London was organised by Ramona Mitrica during her tenure as director of the Ratiu Family Foundation starting in 2003. Following her death in 2023, the London festival ceased to exist.
The Romanian Film Festival in the United Kingdom is an entirely new initiative created by Manuela R. Morar and Alexandru Gherman. This inaugural edition, featuring six films, is a major cultural initiative aiming to present the best Romanian cinema to art film enthusiasts in London and beyond, organisers said.
The full festival programme is being finalised and will be announced in the coming weeks.
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