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Romanian New Wave
Genre of realist films
Genre of realist films
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Romanian New Wave |
| yearsactive | 2004–present |
| country | Romania |
| majorfigures | Cristian Mungiu, Cristi Puiu, Cristian Nemescu, Cătălin Mitulescu, Radu Muntean, Corneliu Porumboiu, Călin Peter Netzer, Radu Jude, Alexander Nanau, Adina Pintilie, Radu Mihăileanu |
The Romanian New Wave () is a genre of realist and often minimalist films made in Romania since the mid-2000s, starting with two award-winning shorts by two Romanian directors, namely Cristi Puiu's Cigarettes and Coffee, which won the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival, and Cătălin Mitulescu's Trafic, which won the Short Film Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival later that same year.
Themes
Aesthetically, Romanian New Wave films share an austere, realist and often minimalist approach. Furthermore, black humour tends to feature prominently. While several of them are set in the late 1980s, near the end of Nicolae Ceaușescu's totalitarian rule over communist Romania, exploring themes of freedom and resilience (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, The Paper Will Be Blue, The Way I Spent the End of the World, Tales from the Golden Age), others, however (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, California Dreamin', Tuesday, After Christmas), unfold in modern-day Romania, and delve into the ways the transition to democracy and free-market capitalism has shaped Romanian society after the fall of communism in late 1989.
Award-winning films and directors
Romanian New Wave films and directors have won a significant number of important international movie awards at prestigious FIAPF-accredited film festivals. Below are a few notable examples:
| Year | English Title | Original Title | Director | Awards | 1998 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2020 | 2021 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train of Life | Trenul vieţii | Radu Mihăileanu | Won the David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film at the 1998 David di Donatello Awards, and the Anicaflash Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize at 55th Venice International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A Trip to the City | Călătorie la oraș | Corneliu Porumboiu | Won the Second Cinefondation Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cigarettes and Coffee | Un cartuș de Kent și un pachet de cafea | Cristi Puiu | Won the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Trafic | Cătălin Mitulescu | Won the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Death of Mr. Lazarescu | Moartea Domnului Lăzărescu | Cristi Puiu | Won the Un Certain Regard at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The first feature film to bring the emerging movement into the international spotlight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Way I Spent the End of the World | Cum mi-am petrecut sfârșitul lumii | Cătălin Mitulescu | Won the Best Actress Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12:08 East of Bucharest | A fost sau n-a fost? | Corneliu Porumboiu | Won the Caméra d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ***4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days*** | *4 luni, 3 săptămâni și 2 zile* | Cristian Mungiu | Won the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| California Dreamin' | Cristian Nemescu | Won the Un Certain Regard at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hooked | Pescuit sportiv | Adrian Sitaru | Won in the New Voices/New Vision section at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A Good Day for a Swim | O zi bună de plajă | Bogdan Mustață | Won the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Megatron | Marian Crișan | Won the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Happiest Girl in the World | Cea mai fericită fată din lume | Radu Jude | Won the CICAE Forum Award at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Le Concert | Concertul | Radu Mihăileanu | Won the Southwest Audience Award for Best Narrative feature at the Nashville Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Police, Adjective | Polițist, Adjectiv | Corneliu Porumboiu | Won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle | Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier | Florin Șerban | Won the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Aurora | Cristi Puiu | Won the East of the West Award at the 2010 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morgen | Marian Crișan | Won the Special Jury Prize at the 2010 Locarno International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outbound | Periferic | Bogdan George Apetri | Won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2010 Warsaw International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, After Christmas | Marți, după Crăciun | Radu Muntean | Won the Best Actress Award at the 2010 Mar del Plata International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Intentions | Din dragoste cu cele mai bune intenții | Adrian Sitaru | Won the Leopard for Best Direction at the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Beyond the Hills | După dealuri | Cristian Mungiu | Won the Golden Ástor at the 2012 Mar del Plata International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Won both the Best Screenplay and the Best Actress Award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Child's Pose* | *Poziția copilului* | Călin Peter Netzer | Won the Golden Bear at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In the Fishbowl | În acvariu | Tudor Cristian Jurgiu | Won the Third Cinefondation Award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Aferim! | Radu Jude | Won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Treasure | Comoara | Corneliu Porumboiu | Won the Un Certain Talent in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Box | Florin Șerban | Won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2015 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dogs | Câini | Bogdan Mirică | Won the FIPRESCI Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Graduation | Bacalaureat | Cristian Mungiu | Won the Best Director Award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sieranevada | Cristi Puiu | Won both the Gold Hugo and the Silver Hugo at the 2016 Chicago International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scarred Hearts | Inimi cicatrizate | Radu Jude | Won the Special Jury Prize at the 2016 Locarno International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Won the Best Director Award at the 2016 Mar del Plata International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pororoca | Constantin Popescu | Won the Silver Seashell for Best Actor at the 2017 San Sebastián International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ana, mon amour | Călin Peter Netzer | Won the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Touch Me Not* | *Nu mă atinge-mă* | Adina Pintilie | Won the Golden Bear at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| *I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians* | *Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari* | Radu Jude | Won the Crystal Globe at the 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Malmkrog | Cristi Puiu | Won the Best Director Award in the Encounters section at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn* | *Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc* | Radu Jude | Won the Golden Bear at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Three Kilometres to the End of the World | Trei Kilometri Pana La Capatul Lumii | Emanuel Pârvu | Queer Palm at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The New Year That Never Came | Anul Nou care n-a fost | Bogdan Mureșanu | Won the Orizzonti Award at the 81st Venice International Film Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Kontinental '25 | Radu Jude | Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival |
Legend:
| Best film director |
|---|
Other notable works
| Director | Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cristi Puiu | Stuff and Dough | ||
| Marfa și banii | 2001 | Cristi Puiu's directorial debut | |
| Nae Caranfil | Philanthropy | ||
| Filantropica | 2002 | ||
| Cristian Mungiu | Occident | 2002 | Cristian Mungiu's first feature film |
| Lucian Pintilie | Niki and Flo | ||
| Niki Ardelean, colonel în rezervă | 2003 | Lucian Pintilie's last feature film | |
| Corneliu Porumboiu | Liviu's Dream | ||
| Visul lui Liviu | 2004 | ||
| Tudor Giurgiu | Love Sick | ||
| Legături bolnăvicioase | 2006 | Compared to My Summer of Love | |
| Cristian Nemescu | Marilena from P7 | ||
| Marilena de la P7 | 2006 | Cristian Nemescu's last short film | |
| Radu Muntean | The Paper Will Be Blue | ||
| Hârtia va fi albastră | 2006 | ||
| Gheorghe Preda | An Angel Hooked on Me | ||
| Îngerul necesar | 2007 | Thematically unrelated to the others. | |
| Unconcerned with social issues. | |||
| Radu Muntean | Boogie | 2008 | |
| Cristian Mungiu et al. | Tales from the Golden Age | ||
| Amintiri din Epoca de Aur | 2009 | ||
| Răzvan Rădulescu et al. | First of All, Felicia | ||
| Felicia, înainte de toate | 2009 | ||
| Bobby Păunescu | Francesca | 2009 | |
| Andrei Gruzsniczki | The Other Irene | ||
| Cealaltă Irina | 2009 | ||
| Călin Peter Netzer | Medal of Honor | ||
| Medalia de onoare | 2009 | ||
| Constantin Popescu | Portrait of the Fighter as a Young Man | ||
| Portretul luptătorului la tinerețe | 2010 | ||
| Cătălin Mitulescu | Loverboy | 2011 | |
| Radu Jude | Everybody in Our Family | ||
| Toată lumea din familia noastră | 2012 | ||
| Tudor Giurgiu | *Of Snails and Men | ||
| Despre oameni și melci* | 2012 | ||
| Corneliu Porumboiu | When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism | ||
| Când se lasă seara peste București sau metabolism | 2013 | ||
| Nae Caranfil | Closer to the Moon | ||
| Mai aproape de lună | 2014 | ||
| Ana Lungu | Self-Portrait of a Dutiful Daughter | ||
| Autoportretul unei fete cuminți | 2015 | ||
| Radu Muntean | One Floor Below | ||
| Un etaj mai jos | 2015 | ||
| Tudor Giurgiu | Why Me? | ||
| De ce eu? | 2015 | ||
| Corneliu Porumboiu | The Whistlers | ||
| La Gomera | 2019 | ||
| Alexander Nanau | Collective | ||
| Colectiv | 2019 | First Romanian film to be nominated for an Academy Award |
References
References
- "Berlinale: Jahresarchive 2004: Preistraeger". Berlinale.de.
- "Festival de Cannes: Trafic". Festival-Cannes.com.
- "Festival de Cannes: Catalin Mitulescu". Festival-Cannes.com.
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