16-06-2016

Romanian National Film Archives Assesses Restructuring

By
    Radu Jude Radu Jude

    BUCHAREST: The Romanian Ministry of Culture has launched a large evaluation process for the National Film Archives and the Romanian Cinematheque. Radu Jude, Corneliu Porumboiu and Radu Muntean are among the 55 professionals who will assess a restructuring plan by September 2016.

    This is the biggest project of this kind developed by the Ministry of Culture, together with the National Film Archives, aimed at more diverse programming, more fruitful exchanges with foreign Cinematheques and more flexible use of the screening halls.

    The 55 filmmakers and professionals working together with experts of National Film Archives and the Romanian Cinematheque are divided into eight groups. A technical group will evaluate the digitalisation possibilities, another one, which includes the filmmakers Radu Jude, Corneliu Porumboiu, Radu Muntean, Adrian Sitaru and Tudor Cristian Jurgiu, will discuss the rejuvenation of the Cinematheque.

    Other groups will focus on the database, documents in print, restoration and programming criteria, and the National Film Archives Library rejuvenation. Two experts groups will focus on documentaries and films produced by Sahia (the former communist documentary film production company), and on animated films and films produced by Animafilm (the former communist animated film production company).

    The restructuring will also take into account foreign recommendations and is an important topic in the Romanian-French convention signed during the Cannes Film Festival. In April 2016, Eric LeRoy, the President of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) and one of the directors of the French Film Archives, visited Romania and his feedback will also be taken into account.

    The Ministry of Culture is also looking for financial recovery solutions for Sahia Film and Animafilm, hoping to relaunch their activities. In April the Minister of Culture signed in the appointment of three new members in the Shareholders' General Assembly (AGA) for each of them, including the documentary director Alexander Nanau in the Sahia Film's AGA and Mihai Chirilov, the artistic director of Transilvania IFF, in Animafilm's AGA.