Tickets are on sale for Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest .13
The most awaited films of the autumn can be seen between October 21st and 30th at Cinema Elvire Popesco, the Romanian Peasant Cinema and the Eforie Cinemathèque.
At Cannes, there are no weak years, there are fabulous and “just” extraordinary ones. The world’s biggest film festival has, over the years, managed to put together an incredible selection of all genres from all corners of the world to surprise and delight audiences. Cannes is that filmgoers’ Mecca where you go to refuel your battery and rebuild your faith in cinema, even when (or especially when) the usual big-screen offerings let you down. When Cannes runs out of good films, a new popular art will probably have to be invented. So don’t worry, this year’s Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest selection is a really exciting one… Your only regret will be that you won’t get to see them all (but if you do, let us know).
Tickets are on sale for the 13th edition of Les Films de Cannes à Bucharest and the full programme is available at: www.filmedefestival.ro
Final Cut – Out of Competition, Opening Film, Cannes 2022
“Arguably the goriest film to ever open the Cannes Film Festival, Michel Hazanavicius’ meta zombie comedy is also one of the more clever and giddily entertaining ones”, wrote The Hollywood Reporter about Final Cut – the title of this year’s selection that brings us closest to the Halloween atmosphere of late October. The film is distributed in Romania by Independența Film.
A low-budget horror film is being shot in an abandoned factory. The technical crew don’t give a damn about the project and the actors aren’t really involved, only the director seems to have the energy to breathe life into this upteenth zombie horror film. But then, during preparations for a difficult scene, shooting is interrupted by flesh-and-blood zombies…
Close – Grand Prix (Ex-Aequo), Cannes 2022
After making his Cannes debut at just 27 with the feature Girl, for which he was awarded four trophies in 2018, including the Caméra d’Or, Belgian-born director Lukas Dhont is back in competition this year and reconfirming with “this crushing but emotionally rich story” (The Hollywood Reporter), Close, for which he was awarded the Grand Prix.
Léo and Rémi are 13 years old and have told each other everything since they met. But then something happens and nothing is what it used to be. Desperate to understand what went wrong, Léo gets close to Sophie, Rémi’s mother…
„Some people may have reservations about some of Dhont’s choices, but it’s hard to imagine anyone seeing Close without being rocked by his tremendous empathy and vision. At the age of 31, he is already an exceptional filmmaker, and this is an exceptional film,” exclaimed teh BCC. The film is distributed in Romania by Bad Unicorn.
Decision to Leave – Best Director, Cannes 2022
A man dies in a mountain accident. The case is investigated by the police and the detective in charge, Hae-joon, goes to the victim’s wife, Seo-rae. The widow seems completely unaffected by her husband’s death, and her unusual behavior makes her a suspect. Hae-joon interrogates Seo-rae and then follows her to confirm his suspicions, but finds himself increasingly attracted to her.
Master Park Chan-wook returns to Cannes with an (otherwise) unexpected and provocative film, “an exceptional romantic thriller” as the BBC calls it. “Each frame is like a painting, with clues to the characters’ motivations and twists and turns,” says the Toronto Star. The film is distributed in Romania by Independența Film.
EO – Jury Prize (Ex-Aequo), Cannes 2022
At 84, Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski “continues his career renaissance” (Screen Daily) with a film that “dazzles in its lustrous and witty projection of a sharper way of seeing than what we’re used to; the whole world looks more scintillating, inviting and exciting when experienced through the filmmakers’ heightened visual awareness,” wrote Deadline.
The world is a place teeming with mysteries, especially when seen through the eyes of an animal. EO, a melancholy-eyed donkey, bumps into good and bad people and experiences both joy and sorrow, while chance throws up unexpected chances and disasters, moments of despair as well as happiness. And, no matter what he faces, EO never loses his innocence.
Corsage – Best Actress – Vicky Krieps, Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2022
“Writer-director Marie Kreutzer’s bold biopic imagines Empress Elisabeth of Austria as a deeply troubled soul who resisted the social limitations of her time,” observes Slant Magazine.
Empress Elisabeth of Austria is admired for her beauty, and her unique style sparks fashion frenzies. In 1877 “Sissi” turns 40 and is forced to conform to a public image that is squeezing her tighter and tighter in every way. Her existence is reduced to a strictly representative role at the imperial court, although Elisabeth wanted a life full of activity and challenge. Soon, the empress rebels against her own hyperbolised image and hatches a plan to express her true identity.
“It’s a gripping film, aided by Vicky Krieps’ brave and brilliant performance.” – Time Out. In Romania, Corsage is distributed by Filmtett.
The Natural History of Destruction – Special Screening, Cannes 2022
“Made with uncompromising intellectual rigor and single-minded purpose” (Variety), inspired by the writings of W.G. Sebald and composed of archival footage from World War II, Sergei Loznitsa’s film raises the question: is it morally acceptable to use civilian populations to tip the balance of power in a war? Is it acceptable to mass destruction in defence of some “morally” superior ideal? The question is even more relevant today, and its urgency is evident from recent events.
“The Natural History of Destruction posits, voicelessly, that the world has looked away for so long that it has doomed itself to repeat these crimes, right now, even as you watch.” – Screen International.
Nostalgia – In Competition, Cannes 2022
„With a formidable cast, assured direction and skillful camerawork, Nostalgia proves to be a surprisingly absorbing film, one that could find audiences outside of Italy,” concludes The Hollywood Reporter.
After four decades of absence, Felice returns to his hometown of Naples and rediscovers the places of his childhood, the unwritten laws of the city and a past that still haunts him.
“A siren song to the past that confronts us with a violent, unromantic present, paved under with the same old, blood-washed cobblestones…” according to Variety, about Mario Martone’s film.
Armageddon Time – In Competition, Cannes 2022
„Without being obvious or insistent, Mr. Gray has drawn an absolutely damning diagram of insidious machinery.” – Wall Street Journal. Armageddon Time is a highly personal story about the indestructible bonds of family, the complexities of friendship, and the sacrifices made to achieve the American Dream.
“It’s a truly poignant, troubling, and ultimately brilliant work of memory and self-implication,” praised Vox. The national distributor of the film is RoImage.
Pacification – In Competition, Cannes 2022
Tahiti Island in French Polynesia. De Roller is the High Commissioner of the Republic and, beneath his perfect manners, is a calculating and unscrupulous individual. Wherever he is, at the elegant soirees of the local gentry or in the taverns where criminals hang out, De Roller is constantly taking stock of the local community, aware that the slightest discontent can quickly spark rebellion. The trouble starts when a rumour of a mysterious submarine inflames the locals: is France conducting nuclear tests in the area again?
Critics at Cannes enthusiastically hailed a quirky new work from the “irrepressible” Albert Serra: “magisterial, philosophical three-hour mood piece“ – The Ringer; “Albert Serra returns with an apocalyptic saga set in Tahiti in one of his most accomplished and mature films to date.” – Little White Lies.
R.M.N. – In Competition, Cannes 2022
Cristian Mungiu returned to competition in Cannes this year with his latest film, and the press did not hold back in its praise: “R.M.N. is a fascinating, very human exploration of the many problems faced by Romania” wrote The Hollywood Reporter after the screening on the Croisette. “Discrete scenes of astonishing clarity and density, with the rigor of their construction belied by the spontaneity of their presentation,” it is “a complex film, so replete with ideas that one might expect the aesthetics to be of lesser concern, but R.M.N. is almost absurdly handsome,” headlined Variety.
A few days before Christmas, having quit his job in Germany, Matthias returns to his multi-ethnic Transylvanian village. He wishes to involve himself more in the education of his son, Rudi, left for too long in the care of his mother, Ana, and to rid the boy of the unresolved fears that have taken hold of him. He’s preoccupied with his old father, Otto, and also eager to see his ex-lover, Csilla. When a few new workers are hired at the small factory that Csilla
manages, the peace of the community is disturbed, underlying fears grip the adults, and frustrations, conflicts and passions erupt through the thin veneer of apparent understanding. A story about the deep springs of human behaviour in the face of startling realities, about relating to each other and how we all relate today to an unsettling future.
After its premiere in Cannes, R.M.N. was selected for major international film festivals such as Toronto, San Sebastian, New York, and has been sold in over 50 countries. The film will be distributed this autumn in France and Belgium.
Les Pires – Un Certain Regard Award, Cannes 2022
This “sensitive and intelligent” film (In Review Online) “directed by Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret, features a film crew in a working-class French town, with challenging and sometimes very funny results.” Deadline Hollywood
A film goes into production in the Picasso neighborhood in the suburbs of Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France. Casting takes place and four local teenagers, Lily, Ryan, Maylis and Jessy, are cast in the film. People in the neighbourhood can’t understand why they chose the “worst” ones.
Retour à Séoul – Un Certain regard, Cannes 2022
Freddie is French, 25 years old and wants to discover her origins. On a whim, she flies to Seoul, the city of her birth, where she was adopted after birth. The young woman is totally dedicated to her mission to discover her real parents, and it will affect her in ways she couldn’t have foreseen.
“Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul quickly blooms as a study in contrasts, sublimely juxtaposing character and culture,” exclaims Slant Magazine of the film partially shot in Romania, and Indiewire adds: ”few movies have ever been more perfectly in tune with their protagonists than Davy Chou’s jagged, restless, and rivetingly unpredictable Return to Seoul.”
Godland – Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2022
Hlynur Pàlmason’s film is “an engrossing account of a voyage to the dark side of permanent daylight,” noted Screen International.
At the end of the 19th century, a young Danish priest arrives in a remote region of Iceland. His plan is to build a church and photograph the local people, but before long the wildness of the place takes its toll and the priest strays from his goal, giving in to temptation.
“this transfixing drama is certainly austere. But there’s also a marvelously odd vein of sneaky humor running through it, along with an unpredictability that keeps you glued,” wrote The Hollywood Reporter after the Cannes premiere while the LA Times concluded, “Godland tells a story of natural wonder, elemental beauty and human folly.”
La Montagne – SACD, Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, Cannes 2022
Pierre is an engineer and leaves Paris for a contract in the Alps. Enchanted by the snowy peaks around him, Pierre pitches his tent high above the mountains and vows never to return to civilisation. Before long, he meets Léa, who works at a local restaurant. But what are the mysterious lights that won’t leave him alone? Thomas Salvador’s film turns into an almost abstract film with symbolic potential.
„In a work in which nature, landscape and climate take starring roles, Salvador’s muted performance of a man who is attempting to lose himself in his surroundings feels right,” notes Screen International.
Un beau matin – Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, Cannes 2022
Sandra is a young mother raising her daughter alone. The biggest challenge in her family’s life is the treatment of Sandra’s father, Georg, who suffers from a degenerative disease. But then Sandra meets Clément, an old friend she hasn’t seen for a long time, and although he is in a steady relationship, a romance develops between the two.
Cannes veteran Mia Hansen-Løve returns with a film that quietly but deeply imprints itself on your soul. “Seydoux’s performance anchors the film, ultimately rendering it a love letter to the present, and to the ways heartbreak and hope intertwine,” was the Vox verdict at Cannes. “Hansen-Løve’s story is deceptively simple, but it packs a powerful emotional punch as it explores the impact that love – and our separation from that love – can have on a person,” wrote Collider about the film, which is distributed in Romania by Voodoo Films.
The Beasts – Official Selection, Cannes 2022
Vincent and Olga are two French people who settled long ago in a village in the Spanish province of Galicia. Here, the couple lead a quiet life, tending their vegetable garden and renovating abandoned houses, although their coexistence with the locals is not as peaceful as they would have liked. Their refusal to participate in the implementation of a wind turbine farm will soon make things worse.
Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s film, distributed in Romania by Transilvania Film, “is a terrific psychological thriller and a brooding, muscular piece of filmmaking” wrote Screen International. “Sorogoyen and Peña have an innate instinct for talking about the present and they do it with a lot of courage,” El Pais points out.
The Glance of Music – Official Selection, Venice 2021
A great filmmaker makes a documentary-tribute about perhaps the greatest film composer in history. In the five years in which he filmed, Giuseppe Tornatore travelled all over the world to talk to over seventy directors and musicians about the life and work of Ennio Morricone, from Wong Kar-wai, Bernardo Bertolucci, Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, John Williams, Hans Zimmer to Bruce Springsteen. These interviews are interspersed with snippets of Morricone’s private life, recordings from the artist’s acclaimed world tours, clips from his classic films and never-before-seen archive footage gathered over a career spanning more than 70 years.
“As a tribute to the artist and his legacy, it’s fascinating,” writes The Observer, and The Guardian emphasises, “A painstakingly detailed, fantastically entertaining and deeply exhausting dive.” The Glance of Music is distributed in Romania by Pannonia Entertainment RO.
The full programme of this year’s festival can be found on www.filmedefestival.ro and will be detailed in future press releases. Tickets can be bought online at www.eventbook.ro where you will also find information about promotions and discounts.
Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest is presented by Orange România, traditional partner of the event.
Inspired by: UniCredit Bank
With the support of: Catena, Apa Nova, Groupama, Sun Wave Pharma
A cultural project financed by: The Romanian Film Centre, SACD / Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, the French Embassy in Romania and the French Institute in Romania, the Romanian Cultural Institute, Dacin Sara, Italian Cultural Institute, the Embassy of Sweden in Romania
Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest is a project co-financed by the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB within the Bucharest – Affective City 2022 programme. For more detailed information about the financing program of the Bucharest mayorship through ARCUB, please visit www.arcub.ro.
Partners: Renault, Mercure Hotels, Avanpost, Abator, Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Arhiva Națională de Filme – Cinemateca Română, Europa Cinemas, Aparterre, Air France KLM DELTA, LOKAL
Main Media Partners: Radio Guerrilla, TVR, Agerpres
Media Partners: Cinemagia, Zile și Nopți, Cinemap, Libertatea, News.ro, Films in Frame, Ziarul Metropolis, Film Menu, iQAds, Smark, A List Magazine, Igloo, Urban.ro, LiterNet, Elle, The Institute, Vice, Observator Cultural, AARC – All About Romanian Cinema, Movie News, CineFan, Munteanu, Cinefilia, CineGhid, Radio România Cultural, Senso TV, Tonica, Antena PLAY.
Cultural partners: RFI România
**The content of this material does not necessarily represent the official position of the Bucharest City Hall or that of ARCUB.
