Daniela Bacanu

Cinema Programmer: Romanian Director's New Cinema Theatre (NCRR)

Bacanu is Executive Director at Asociatia Culturala Macondo and Cinema Programmer for The Romanian Director's New Cinema Theatre (NCRR). After graduating from the Political Science University in Montreal she pursued a career in advertising as Account Manager at Ogilvy agency. Since 2007 she decided to focus her passion for films. As head of the cultural association she founded, she promotes art movies. She also founded Cinema-edu the first national project in Romania that introduces children and teenagers to art movies.

The New Cinema of the Romanian Director is located within the Romanian Peasant Museum, The New Cinema of the Romanian Director is focused on presenting European feature films and documentaries, and on promoting new young directors and their creations.

1. What is the biggest challenge of running a cinema such as yours?

The biggest challenge is to make people keen to view art movies, foreign movies, productions that don't have big names (directors or actors). Besides the "avids", a small regular audience that enjoys non-mainstream films, we must search for a way to bring new people into the cinema. In a multiplex, the viewer can choose from a large selection of movies, but with just one cinema hall, it's trickier to make someone particularly interested in the films you are playing.

2. What kinds of films do you prefer to screen and why?

Recent European movies, Romanian movies or any kind of non-mainstream films that we consider appropriate and interesting. A lot of European movies that have great value will always have a "home" at our cinema.

3. The cinema is home to many festivals, events and film weeks. Why are these important and what do they achieve?

They receive more attention from the public. Individuals feel that they are united by these events, they are all participating, it's something that brings people together. Also, film festivals get a lot of advertising and are a good source of awareness for the cinema.

4. What is role of Europa Cinemas for cinemas such as your cinema and why is it important?

Europa Cinemas is a blessing, to have this network that supports European films, that helps you promote them, it's vital.

5. How does a cinema like yours serve the local community?

Our cinema is a place where people can see different films, where they can discuss them with film critics, with special guests etc. It's a place that offers all kinds of people a chance to reflect upon great stories and maybe to be inspired by them. Also, we strongly support Romanian films, and we think it's important for the community to see and to open up to local productions.

6. How does the cinema fulfill its role of cultural diversity - maybe you can give some examples such as programming of European films, films from countries outside MEDIA countries such as Asia, Latin American and in the Mediterranean region?

We want to provide our audience the chance to see a broad spectrum of films, from many different cultures, and especially in film festivals, Asian movies are a great success.

7. Can you say something about your work with young audiences?

One of our main purposes is to attract young people inside the cinema hall, to show them it's a totally different experience than seeing a film in front of the computer. The cinema hall has a magic of its own, it's a totally different experience. The youngsters prefer films that are fast paced, cool, with light subjects, but we must make them curious about films that maybe are deeper and problematic.

8. What about the upcoming digitalisation of cinemas?? How will it affect your work and you cinema?

Like all changes, they may not necessarily be welcomed, but we must go along with it.