The 10th Romanian Film Festival in London: TURNING THE PAGE brings you the latest, the most exciting and the most illuminating productions from the ferment of the Romanian film industry. Shown for the first time in the UK, these films tell the story of a rapidly evolving society. 

Hugely popular actors and immensely insightful directors will lend their presence to the screenings within the 10^thRomanian Film Festival in London: actor Victor Rebengiuc (Japanese Dog), actor and director Horatiu Malaele(Happy Funerals), actor Bogdan Dumitrache (When Evening Falls On Bucharest Or Metabolism), actors Dragos Bucur, Alexandru Papadopol and Dorian Boguta (Love Building), director Stere Gulea (I Am An Old Communist Hag), and director Adrian Sitaru (Domestic). Join us on the red carpet! 

TURNING THE PAGE is a phrase which speaks of an end, but, more importantly – a beginning. Romanian film makers wrote a new chapter of international film making with the New Wave. Now the films on show look back past the New Wave in terms of technique, and forward in terms of content, social analysis and storytelling. Above all, these stories speak of a new understanding and a new relationship with the outside world. The windows have been thrown open! We’re turning the page!

Synopsis: This moving directorial debut focuses on the reconciliation between a father and his prodigal son who emigrated many years previously. This is a beautifully directed chamber piece that profits from an exceptional performance by Victor Rebengiuc.

Cast: Victor Rebengiuc, Serban Pavlu, Laurentiu Lazar, Kana Hashimoto, Ioana Abur, Alexandrina Halic

VICTOR REBENGIUC is one of the most distinguished Romanian stage and screen actors, a real acting legend with a career spanning more than 50 years. He is also renowned as a civil society activist.

In 1957, he made his debut as a member of the famous Bulandra Theatre company, acting in more than 200 roles on that stage alone. 

With his breakthrough performance in Liviu Ciulei’s The Forest of the Hanged (Padurea spanzuratilor) Rebengiuc became a major figure in Romanian cinema, idolised for his 1988 appearance in Stere Gulea’s Morometii. He has also starred in films by Dan Pita (Tanase Scatiu; Sand Cliffs - Faleze de nisip) and Lucian Pintilie (Carnival Scenes - De ce trag clopotele, Mitica?; The Oak - Balanta; Too Late – Prea tarziu; Last Stop Paradise - Terminus paradis; Niki and Flo – Niki Ardelean, colonel in rezerva; Tertium non datur).

Victor Rebengiuc has worked with all the greats of Romanian cinematography while also working for younger directors such as Cristi Puiu, Radu Muntean, Lucian Georgescu, Calin Peter Netzer and Tudor Cristian Jurgiu.

Director’s biography:

TUDOR CRISTIAN JURGIU graduated in 2009 from the Film and TV Directing department of the UNATC. In 2009, he made Oli's Wedding, which won the Best Short Film award in Leeds and Anonimul Film Festivals, the Best Romanian Short award at NexT 2009 Festival, and the Best Short of the Year trophy at the Gopo Awards 2010. His latest short, In the Fishbowl, is the recipient of the 3rd prize award of Cannes' Cinéfondation section.

Synopsis: This adaptation of Dan Lungu’s 2007 novel details the chaos that ensues when an estranged family is reunited. The quiet provincial life of couple Emilia and Tucu is turned upside down when their daughter returns from Canada, together with her American fiancée.

Cast: Luminita Gheorghiu, Marian Ralea, Ana Ularu, Valeria Seciu

Director’s biography:

STERE GULEA was born in 1943 in the district of Mihail Kogalniceanu, Constantza. He is of Aromanian (Macedo-Romanian) origin. 

His best known feature is The Moromete Family (Morometii, 1988), an adaptation after Marin Preda’s novel of the same title.

He also co-directed the documentary University Square – Romania (Piata Universitatii – Romania, 1991), a presentation of the one-month long rally in University Place, Bucharest, where Romanian people demonstrated against the neo-communist government which had taken power after the toppling of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The film also shows the brutal repression of the rally by the government forces.

After 1989, Stere Gulea became a respected civil society activist.

Selected filmography: Roots (Radacini, 2013), I Am An Old Communist Hag (Sunt o baba comunista, 2013), Weekend With My Mother (Weekend cu mama, 2009), Hacker (2004), State of Things (Stare de fapt, 1996), Fox – Hunter (Vulpe – Vanator, 1993), University Square – Romania (Piata Universitatii – Romania, documentary, 1991), The Moromete Family (Morometii, 1988), The Bear’s Eye (Ochi de urs, 1983), Castle of the Carpathians (Castelul din Carpati, 1981), The Green Grass of Home (Iarba verde de acasa, 1978).

Synopsis: Domestic is an account of life for a group of residents in a tower block. Sitaru’s black comedy draws out the very worst in his characters, with hilarious results. Wonderfully surreal, painfully real, this is the story of children, adults and animals who live together, struggling to achieve a better life.

Cast: Adrian Titieni, Gheorghe Ifrim, Sergiu Costache, Ioana Flora, Clara Voda, Dan Hurduc, Ariadna Titieni

Director’s biography:

ADRIAN SITARU was born in 1971. He is the author of several short films, of which Waves (Valuri, 2007), the most well-known, has received numerous prizes. His short film The Cage (Colivia, 2009) won the DAAD Short Film Award at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). Other shorts: Lord (2009), House Party (Chefu’, 2012).
Domestic (2013) is Adrian Sitaru's third feature film, following Hooked (Pescuit sportiv, 2008) and Best Intentions (Din dragoste cu cele mai bune intentii, 2011), both awarded prizes in numerous prestigious festivals.

Synopsis: A director shooting a film finds his life unravelling as he comes to terms with crises in his personal life. The third film from the director of 12:08 East of Bucharest is another sly satire.

Cast: Bogdan Dumitrache, Diana Avramut, Mihaela Sirbu, Alexandru Papadopol

Director’s biography:

CORNELIU PORUMBOIU was born in 1975, in Vaslui, Romania. He graduated from the National University of Theatre and Cinematography, where he studied Film Directing. His short films, made while he attended the University, won awards at major film festivals including Cannes and Montpellier. In 2005 Porumboiu entered the residency program Cinéfondation in Cannes. In 2006 he made his first feature - 12:08 East of Bucharest - which was selected in the Quinzaine des Realisateurs and won the Camera d’Or for debut and the Label Europe, the film distributors’ award. The film received many other prizes at film festivals all over the world. In 2009, Porumboiu’s Police, Adjective won the FIPRESCI and Jury prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, where it screened in the Un Certain Regard section. The film has been further honoured with numerous national and international awards. His latest film is the 2013 production When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism.

Synopsis: Love Building is a camp designed to mend broken relationships. Fourteen couples in the program have seven days to re-design their love lives. Unsurprisingly, things don’t go according to plan.

Box-office hit Love Building by first-timer Iulia Rugina is actually the result of an acting workshop. Except for the leading trio (played by the well-known actors Dragos Bucur, Alexandru Papadopol and Dorian Boguta, who also run a private acting school in real life), everybody else in the cast is a student.

Cast: Alexandru Papadopol, Dorian Boguta, Dragos Bucur, Eugen Matei Lumezianu, Dana Sava, Claudia Ciurca, Emil Ciuchi, Andreea Scradeanu, Melania Brinza, Bogdan Ungureanu, Ioana Paunescu, Oltin Hurezeanu, Georgiana Stanciu, Florin Ilisie, Laura Musat, Ruxandra Serban, Ion Rusu, Ecaterina Istrate, Mirabela Ciurez, Anca Tivadar, Bogdan Vasilief, Paul Radu, Adela Dinca, Mirela Ionascu, Silvia Morosanu, Dragos Sora, Adina Stetcu, Iulia Tones, Elena Crismaru, Bogdan Vulpe, Carmen Hategan, Ioan Rusu, Ana Bostan, Hamid Nicola Katrib

Director’s biography:

IULIA RUGINA was born in 1982 in Bucharest, and studied film directing at UNATC Bucharest (2002-2006). In 2011, she finished her master's degree in film directing. She has directed eight short films and three medium-length films, having co-written most of them. Her films were screened at over 50 film-related events in 13 countries. She is also highly involved in the educational side of filmmaking, as a trainer in different projects for amateurs, beginners or children and as co-founder of a cultural association focused on film education. Her debut feature is the low budget film Love Building, and she is now in pre-production with her second feature film Breaking News. 

Synopsis: Three heavy boozers - a Romanian, a Russian and a Bulgarian - are tippling away their well being, in vodka. A police raid chases away the pub's barflies. The three professional boozers stop running just in front of a fortune teller, an expert in her own niche: the prediction of death. The rest is fate!

Cast: Horatiu Malaele, Igor Caras-Romanov, Mihai Gruia Sandu, Crina Semciuc

Director’s biography:

HORATIU MALAELE was born in 1952, in Targu Jiu, Gorj. Actor, director, caricaturist.

In 1975 he graduated from the "I.L. Caragiale" Institute of Drama and Cinematography Art, Bucharest, Drama Department, Class of prof. univ. Octavian Cotescu. He worked for the Tineretului Theatre in Piatra Neamt and for the Nottara Theatre. Since 1966 he has been working for the Bulandra Theatre.

As a caricaturist, he has displayed over 3000 caricatures in 36 national and international exhibitions.

Happy Funerals is the second feature directed by Horatiu Malaele, after Silent Wedding (Nunta muta, 2008).