23-01-2014

Romanian Debuts to Dominate Releases in 2014

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    Closer to the Moon by Nae Caranfil Closer to the Moon by Nae Caranfil

    BUCHAREST: Almost half of the 20 Romanian premieres expected in 2014, are debut or second films, with most of the films receiving support from the National Centre for Cinema. Films by Nae Caranfil, Florin Şerban and Andrei Gruzsnicki will also hit the domestic screens in 2014.

    Closer to the Moon, the first English language feature by Nae Caranfil starring Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong, is set to open on 6 March. The film is a coproduction between Romania's Mandragora Movies, Italy's Rainier Group, and the U.S. company CTTM LLC.

    Another highly aniticpated film is the second feature from Florin Şerban, Box, produced by Şerban through his new company Fantascope in coproduction with the Germany's Augenschein Filmproduktion and the France's MPM. The date of premiere will depends on its festival roll-out.

    Andrei Gruzsnicki's second feature Quod erat demonstrandum doesn't have a release date yet, but producer Velvet Moraru from Icon Production told FNE it will open in 2014. Cornel Gheorghiţă's second feature, The Gentleman from the Courtyard/Domnul de la curte, a coproduction between Ro de Film and France's Milonga Production, is expected in May-June, and before that Ovidiu Georgescu will release the fantasy The Last Incubus/Ultimul zburator (Asociatia Culturala Promissum, on 7 February.

    Transilvania Film will release two debut features from Libra Film, Răzvan Săvescu's comedy America Here We Come/America, venim in August and the 100% independent drama The World Is Mine/Lumea e a mea by Nicolae Constantin Tănase which is currently in coproduction and was cast with mainly non-professional actors chosen via Facebook. The World Is Mine is produced by Libra Film and De Film.

    Acclaimed documentary director Thomas Ciulei is expected to release his debut feature 2+2 in 2014. He produced this dark comedy shot in black and white through his Romanian company Europolis Film in coproduction with the German company Ciulei Films.

    Debut features It Takes Two to Fence/Planşa (DaKino Productions and Diud Film) by Gheorghe Andrei, At My Father's Home/Acasă la tata (Family Film) by Andrei Cohn and Carmen by Doru Niţescu (Filmex Film) are also expected in 2014. Dragoş Iuga, the first time director of the fantasy mockumentary The Little Spartan/Micul spartan (Temple Film, Yakasha Film) told FNE that his film will open in Spring.

    Established filmmakers will also present their new features in 2014: Dan Piţa’s Kira Kiralina (Castel Film), an adaptation of the classic Panait Istrati's novel, Şerban Marinescu’s To Paris with the ID/Doar cu buletinul la Paris (Ro de Film), Alexa Visarion’s Ana (Paradox Film) and Dinu Tănase’s Portraits in the Forrest/Portrete în pădure (Ro de Film). All of them are expected in autumn.

    The third feature of Nap Toder, By Pass (Clandestino Productions) will also be released in autumn. Autumn will be a busy season with another feature, The Chosen One/Cel ales, by Cristian Comeagă, produced by Comeagă through Domino Film opening. George Dorobanţu also hopes to launch his second feature, the SF Omega Rose (Blue Heron Productions & Florin Piersic Jr, together with Keep Movieng) this year. The biopic Brancusi by Adrian Popovici (Artis Film, http://www.artisfilm.ro/en/) will also open in Autumn.

    In 2013, 21 domestic films were released and 16 were released in 2011.