The Pod Generation, directed by Sophie Barthes, opens European Film Festival in Bucharest

The 27th edition of European Film Festival (EFF) was opened, on Monday evening, at the Auditorium of the National Art Museum of Romania, with the film The Pod Generation, a Belgium, France and UK co-production, directed by Sophie Barthes.

The artistic director of EFF, film critic Catalin Olaru, told AGERPRES that 33 films will be screened at this year's edition of the event, 27 of which are national premieres.

"The European Film Festival means 33 films, of which 27 are national premieres. More than that, we also have a world premiere film, How To Be Dead, If Alive?, the new documentary by Ilinca Calugareanu, which resumes a series of articles that made history in the Romanian tabloid press just a few years ago and reinterprets them in a key that we invite you all to discover," said Catalin Olaru.

"This year, just like last year, I proposed a theme that is of interest and very intensively debated at these moments, because European film also involves debates, in addition to diversity, in addition to balance, European film involves themes or questions on to ask ourselves, more than trying to give answers, we ask ourselves questions and it makes us think, and then, this year's theme is Artificial Intelligence and tonight's film is exactly on this theme," said the Romanian Culture Institute (ICR) chairman, Liviu Jicman.

Bogdan Barla, the head of the Department of Communication and Networks with Representation of the European Commission in Romania, said that the EU has in the treaties that are the basis of its functioning listed among its objectives the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe, as well as the support and development of cultural heritage.

Julien Chiappone-Lucchesi, the chairman of EUNIC Romania, the managing director of the French Institute in Romania, said that the opening of the festival takes place under the sign of Europe and film.

The European Film Festival debuted in western Timisoara, between May 9 and 12, and continued in southwestern Oravita, between May 12 and 14. From Bucharest, where it will take place between May 15 and 23, it will continue to southern Curtea de Arges, northeastern Botosani and Gura Humorului.

The European Film Festival is organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute, with the support of the European Commission Representation in Romania and EUNIC Romania, in partnership with UCIN (Union of Film-makers of Romania), embassies, European cultural centers and institutes. Partner of the local edition in Timisoara is the Timisoara Project Center.

AGERPRES is media partner of the event.