This eighth edition of the Romanian Film Week will take place from October 4 to October 10 in Nice at the Mercury cinema.
This event is organized by the honorary consulate of Romania in Nice, the Romanian National Center for Cinematography, the Romanian Cultural Institute, as well as the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Council.
This cinematographic week offers the public a chance to discover Romania through its cinema and culture. Mr. Stéfan de Faÿ, honorary consul of Romania in Nice, presents this week where seven films will be offered to the public. These cinematographic works are mostly new to the audience in Nice.
Apart from exploring Romanian landscapes, culture, folklore, history, and the spirit of Romania, this week allows us to deeply immerse ourselves in this country. Most of the seven films have faced criticism at various festivals with prestigious awards and prizes, such as a Silver Bear in Berlin for AFERIM in 2015, a film that will also be presented at the opening ceremony on Sunday, October 4.
All screenings will begin at 7:30 PM. The following day, THE WHITE GATE, a film denouncing communism and forced labor camps, evokes Romania before 1989. On Tuesday, we explore corruption with WHY ME.
On Wednesday, October 7, Nice is particularly highlighted with Dan Pita’s film KIRA KIRALINA, where the director introduces us to Panait Istrati, a writer discovered on our shores in 1921. Some might say it’s a slightly daring film, but there are always Tartuffes. On Thursday with BLESSED BE THOU, PRISON, we are given an image of Romania during the Stalinist years with the evocation of real events experienced by a female writer and a Romania where the dictatorship persecutes the people and their faith.
An enlightening and relevant film in a Europe losing its founding values. On Friday, we discover the Romanian people seeking an outlet, an escape. The communist regime is living its last hours, and the people use humor to escape this oppressive regime. TALES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE, a title showing the irony of a people aware of the soon-to-end nightmare.
The week will conclude on Saturday, October 3, with THE TREASURE, in which, according to a legend, the hero’s ancestors hid a treasure in the yard of a house. Will Costi then help his neighbor?
It is clear that this week is thrilling and fascinating. Besides the pleasure of discovering mostly auteur films and therefore new works, this week is an opportunity to discover Romania far from the usual clichés of Transylvanian vampires.
This aim is indeed the goal of this festival, as highlighted in the conclusion of his presentation of the eighth Romanian Film Week by Mr. Stefan de Faÿ, honorary general consul of Romania in Nice: “To provide an enhancing image of Romania and erase the pejorative clichés of this country.”
He has managed to convince us, and we have no doubt about the quality of this Romanian cinematic week.
Thierry Jan
