Reusing and completing the story from The Christmas Gift / Cadoul de Crăciun, the script written by Mureșanu follows six apparently parallel life stories over one single day (20 December 1989), as they meet along in the invisible points of a tragicomedy, only to drive to a common resolution: the end of a world and the fall of the communist regime in Romania.
The cast includes over 40 actors, of whom Adrian Văncică, Iulian Postelnicu, Emilia Dobrin, Nicoleta Hâncu, Andrei Miercure and Mihai Călin are in the leading roles.
“Over 40 actors, multiple and difficult locations, complex continuities (especially psychological), tough winter season… all these seem hard, but are nothing compared to the real challenge: how to distribute the details of so many stories and to keep awake the audience’s curiosity without letting them anticipate the events or the emotions. I hope I made it. I had doubts till the very end, but I was blessed with a great team of actors and technicians,” Bogdan Mureșanu told FNE.
Recreating an entire Revolution scene with over 200 extras added to the complexity of the production. It’s no surprise that the 2h 18 min film was lensed by two cinematographers, Boroka Biro and Tudor Platon.
Bogdan Mureșanu produced the film through Kinotopia in association with Romania’s Chainsaw Europe, and in coproduction with the Romanian National Television (SRTv) and Serbia’s All Inclusive Films, with support from the Romanian Film Centre (CNC) and Creative Europe MEDIA. The project was financed by the Romanian Ministry of Culture, CNC, the Romanian Cultural Institute, Istituto Rumeno di Cultura e Ricerca Umanistica di Venezia, DACIN SARA, UCIN and Film Center Serbia.
Ada Solomon (Nomada Solo), Viorel Chesaru (Chainsaw Europe), Vanja Kovacevic (All Inclusive, Serbia), are the coproducers of the film, alongside Claudia Nedelcu Duca from the Romanian National Television. The executive producers are Irina Enea and Bogdan Luca, while Theo Nissim, Dan Burlac, Adrian Văncică and Adriana Bumbeș are associate producers.
The budget was over 1 m EUR, Bogdan Mureșanu told FNE.
The production of The New Year That Never Came / Anul Nou care n-a fost started basically at the same time with the short film The Christmas Gift, it continued in the autumn of 2021 with the shooting for Mureșanu’s short film The New Year That Never Came (which has not been released yet) and wrapped in 2022. Most of the film was shot in November – December 2022. There were 35 shooting days altogether.
After the Venice world premiere, The New Year That Never Came will be released domestically by Forum Film Romania on 24 September 2024.
The Christmas Gift / Cadoul de Crăciun has been selected for 200 festivals and received 72 awards. It is the winner of the European Film Award for Best Short Film and it was shortlisted for the Academy Awards in 2020.
The 81st edition of the Venice International Film Festival will be held 28 August – 7 September 2024.
Production Information:
Producer:
Kinotopia (Romania)
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Coproducers:
SRTv (Romania)
All Inclusive Films (Serbia)
Credits:
Director: Bogdan Mureșanu
Screenwriter: Bogdan Mureșanu
DoP: Boroka Biro, Tudor Platon
Editor: Vanja Kovacevic, Mircea Lăcătuș
Production designers: Iulia Fulicea, Victor Fulicea
Sound recording: Alex Dragomir, Iolanda Gârleanu
Sound editing: Sebastian Zsemlye
Sound design: Sebastian Zsemlye / Raza Studio
Costume designer: Dana Anghel
Make-up artist: Iulia Roșeanu
Hairstylist: Domnica Bodogan
Cast: Adrian Văncică, Iulian Postelnicu, Emilia Dobrin, Mihai Călin, Nicoleta Hâncu, Andrei Miercure, Manuela Hărăbor, Ioana Flora, Ada Galeș, Victoria Raileanu, Elvira Deatcu, Marian Râlea, Vasile Muraru, Ion Sapdaru, Mircea Andreescu, Radu Gabriel, Vlad Ionuț Popescu, Theodor Șoptelea, Răzvan Vasilescu, Ioan Paraschiv, Doru Cătănescu, Gabriel Spahiu, Angel Popescu, Nicodim Ungureanu, Ilinca Hărnuț, Sorin Cociș, Marius Damian, Marian Adochiței, Dana Voicu, Afrodita Androne, Virgil Aioanei, Luca Toma and many others
