The upcoming documentary The Distance between Me and Me by Mona Nicoară and Dana Bunescu received distribution support. Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest wrapped in Bucharest on 28 October 2018.
It was the first time that the festival awarded prizes. Monsters was chosen from among 13 domestic films in postproduction. Eight films, including four coproductions from CEE countries which premiered in Cannes in 2018 but don’t have distribution in Romania, competed for the Aide à la distribution award. The new creative agency ROLLERCOASTER PR received support for the distribution of The Distance between Me and Me. The Aide à la distribution award and the distribution support for a domestic film were voted on by the audience.
The festival increased from six films screened nine years ago to 60 films and more than 100 screenings in 2018. The festival screened the most important films presented in Cannes in 2018 as well as the winners of Berlin and Venice 2018. A full retrospective of Lucian Pintilie honoured the most important Romanian filmmaker, who passed away in 2018, and consequently the festival received an award from Fundația9, which launched the Lucian Pintilie Film Fund this year. The Romanian section also included eight upcoming Romanian feature films and a selection of short films.
The industry section consisted in the first edition of the Development Lab, the 3rd edition of Managing Talents, a workshop for cinematographers held by Manuel Claro and several debates. Teenagers tutored by directors Radu Muntean, Emanuel Pârvu and Paul Negoescu made one-minute films in a partnership between Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest and Filminute.
The most popular film from the festival, Climax by Gaspar Noé, had an additional screening at the audience’s request.
Asghar Farhadi, Carlos Reygadas, Marin Karmitz, Manuel Claro, Gaspar Noé, Guillaume Nicloux and Zsófia Szilágyi were among the special guests of the 9th edition.
Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest took place in six locations in Bucarest from 19 to 28 October 2018, and also in Timișoara (19-22 October 2018), Arad (19-22 October 2018), Cluj (25-28 October 2018), Iași (26-28 October 2018), Brașov (1-4 November 2018), Oradea (3-4 November 2018) and Suceava (9-11 November 2018).
The festival was initiated by Cristian Mungiu with the support of the General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Frémaux, and it is organised by Asociația Cinemascop and Voodoo Films in partnership with the French Embassy and l’Institut Français in Bucharest. Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest is a cultural project supported by the Romanian Film Centre and also by the SACD / Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, the European Comission Representation Office in Romania and DACIN SARA.
WINNERS:
Aide a la Distribution Award (2,500 EUR):
3 Faces (Iran)
Directed by Jafar Panahi
Distribution Support for an Upcoming Romanian Feature Film (5,000 EUR):
The Distance between Me and Me / Distanța dintre mine și mine (Romania, USA)
Directed by Mona Nicoară and Dana Bunescu
Produced by Hi Film Productions and Sat Mic
Coproduced by the Romanian Public Television (TVR)
Supported by the Romanian Film Centre, the Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union
Work-in-Progress Award (5,000 EUR):
Monsters / Monștri
Directed by Marius Olteanu
Produced by Parada Film and We Are Basca
Supported by the Romanian Film Centre
Filminute Award:
One (Russia)
Directed by Roman Sinitsyn
One Minute High School Awards:
Yala
Directed by Matei Bumbuț (George Coșbuc National Bilingual College)
Șnițel, Parizer
Directed by Matei Reu, David Mitran, Matei Cotimanis (Miguel de Cervantes High School)
Break Free / Rutina
Directed by Arina Ciocan, Vlad Cojocaru, Iris Păun (Spiru Haret National College)
