Paul Schrader, David Lowery and Kent Jones are three of the directors whose films will be screened in Romanian premiere at the American Independent Film Festival. The third edition of the festival will be taking place between April 12th – 18th, at CinemaPRO and Cinema Muzeul Țăranului in Bucharest. Tickets will be available soon on eventbook.ro and through the Eventbook network.

Robert Redford, Cassey Affleck, Tom Waits and Danny Glover are only a few of names that make up the cast of the biographical comedy The Old Man and the Gun, by David Lowery. The film, which will be presented in national premiere at the festival, is inspired by a true story centering on Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), who, at 70 years of age, stages a spectacular escape from the San Quentin prison, committing robberies that stun the authorities and enchant the public. When he’s not alone, Tucker commits robberies along with his team of criminals made up of Teddy (Danny Glover), and Waller (Tom Waits). Hot on their heels is detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who becomes fascinated with Tucker’s devotion and personalized style of criminal activity, while Jewel (Sissy Spacek) remains devoted to him in spite of his actions.

Upon wrapping The Old Man and the Gun, Robert Redford announced his retirement from acting, at the age of 82. In the Super 16 shot film, Redford showcases the reaps of a career marked by naturalness and charm, enacting a script together with Sissy Spacek that Rogert Ebert called “full of magic.” David Lowery is known for films such as Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013) and A Ghost Story (2017). The Old Man and the Gun signals a departure from his regular tone – in effect, it offers a retort to the phrase “they don’t make films this anymore.”

Nominated this year at the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, First Reformed marks the spectacular return of one of America’s essential auteurs: Paul Schrader. Following films that strongly influenced cinema history, such as Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980), both written by Schrader and directed by Martin Scorsese, First Reformed brings Ethan Hawke to the big screen as Toller, a priest, in a role that The New York Times called, the revelation of the year.

Toller, a former soldier tormented by the loss of his son, is the priest of a small church. Hawke’s character goes through a spiritual crisis, exacerbated by the appearance of Mary and her husband Michael, a radical activist. Consumed by thoughts that the world is destroyed by corporations and discovering the complicity of the church in the unscrupulous actions of large corporations, Toller beings a dangerous journey in the hope that he can regain his faith and achieve his mission – to repair the evil brought upon people.

The decision of the director to write and direct First Reformed was inspired by Ida, by Pawel Pawlikowski. „When I met Pawel, I told myself, maybe now’s the time to make that film you swore you’d never make …” stated Paul Schrader in an interview with Variety. The film „reminds you of Dreyer and Bresson (Diary of a Country Priest), but also of Ingmar Bergman (Winter Light),” according to The New Yorker and intentionally „makes allusions to the monumental opera Taxi Driver, through its written particularities as well as its theme,” notes The Guardian. First Reformed premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival in 2018.

The American Independent Film Festival will present in Romanian premiere the feature debut of Kent Jones, film critic and director of the New York Film Festival, one of the guests who visited Bucharest at the last edition of the festival in 2018. Produced by Martin Scorsese, Diane won the most important distinction at the Tribeca Film Festival – Best Film – as well as the awards for Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography. Diane (Mary Kay Place) lives alone in Massachusetts, and after a life of putting others before herself, she feels the need to analyze her own identity and to confront memories she’s rather forget.

“Since I was young, I wanted to make a film about the world of my aunts, uncles, and cousins,” declared Kent in Variety, upon receiving the award for Best Film in Tribeca. Mary Kay Place offers a strong and subtle performance in the titular role, being supported by other powerful roles by Estelle Parsons, Andrea Martin, Deirdre O’Connell and Jake Lacy.

The screening program and news about the festival and its events will be posted on filmedefestival.ro, on the American Independent Film Festival Facebook Page and on Instagram (@AmericanIndependentFilmFest). Tickets will be available soon on eventbook.ro and through the Eventbook network.

The American Independent Film Festival is organized by the Cinemascop Association, with the support of Catena, financed by the National Center of Cinematography. Official car: BMW. Partners: American Chamber of Commerce in Romania – AmCham Romania, UPS Romania, CinemaPRO, The Romanian Peasant’s Museum, Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Voodoo Films, Eventbook. Main media partners: Pro Cinema, Radio Guerrilla. Media partners: Radio Romania Cultural, Agerpres, Decât o Revistă, Zile și Nopți, Newsweek, Cinemagia, Senso TV, Ziarul Metropolis, Liternet.ro, IQads, Smark, Films in Frame, AaRC, CineFan, Cineghid, News.ro, Scena 9. Communication partner: PiArt Vision.