Romanian New Wave


The Romanian New Wave is a genre of realist and often minimalist films made in Romania since the mid-aughts, 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

, 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, others, however, 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:
DirectorTitleYearAwards
Cristi PuiuCigarettes and Coffee
Un cartuș de Kent și un pachet de cafea
2004Won the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival
Cătălin Mitulescu Trafic2004Won the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival
Corneliu PorumboiuA Trip to the City
Călătorie la oraș
2004Won the Second Cinefondation Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival
Cristi PuiuThe Death of Mr. Lăzărescu
Moartea Domnului Lăzărescu
2005Won the Un Certain Regard at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
The first feature film to bring the emerging movement into the international spotlight.
Cătălin MitulescuThe Way I Spent the End of the World
Cum mi-am petrecut sfârșitul lumii
2006Won the Best Actress Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival
Corneliu Porumboiu'
A fost sau n-a fost?
2006Won the Caméra d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival
Cristian Mungiu4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
4 luni, 3 săptămâni și 2 zile
2007Won the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
Cristian Nemescu California Dreamin2007Won the Un Certain Regard at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
Adrian Sitaru Hooked
Pescuit sportiv
2008Won in the New Voices/New Vision section at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival
Bogdan MustațăA Good Day for a Swim
O zi bună de plajă
2008Won the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival
Marian CrișanMegatron2008Won the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
Radu Jude The Happiest Girl in the World
Cea mai fericită fată din lume
2009Won the CICAE Forum Award at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival
Corneliu PorumboiuPolice, Adjective
Polițist, Adjectiv
2009Won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
Florin ȘerbanIf I Want to Whistle, I Whistle
Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier
2010Won the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival
Cristi Puiu Aurora2010Won the East of the West Award at the 2010 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Marian Crișan Morgen2010Won the Special Jury Prize at the 2010 Locarno International Film Festival
Bogdan George Apetri Outbound
Periferic
2010Won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2010 Warsaw International Film Festival
Radu MunteanTuesday, After Christmas
Marți, după Crăciun
2010Won the Best Actress Award at the 2010 Mar del Plata International Film Festival
Adrian SitaruBest Intentions
Din dragoste cu cele mai bune intenții
2011Won the Leopard for Best Direction at the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival
Cristian MungiuBeyond the Hills
După dealuri
2012
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
Călin Peter Netzer Child's Pose
Poziția copilului
2013Won the Golden Bear at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival
Tudor Cristian JurgiuIn the Fishbowl
În acvariu
2013Won the Third Cinefondation Award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival
Radu JudeAferim!2015Won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival
Corneliu Porumboiu The Treasure
Comoara
2015Won the Un Certain Talent in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival
Florin Șerban Box2015Won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2015 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Bogdan Mirică Dogs
Câini
2016Won the FIPRESCI Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Cristian Mungiu Graduation
Bacalaureat
2016Won the Best Director Award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Cristi PuiuSieranevada2016Won both the Gold Hugo and the Silver Hugo at the 2016 Chicago International Film Festival
Radu JudeScarred Hearts
Inimi cicatrizate
2016
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
Călin Peter NetzerAna, mon amour2017Won the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival
Adina PintilieTouch Me Not
Nu mă atinge-mă
2018Won the Golden Bear at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival
Radu JudeI Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians
Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari
2018Won the Crystal Globe at the 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Cristi PuiuMalmkrog2020Won the Best Director Award in the Encounters'' section at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival

Legend:
Best feature film
Best short film or second-best feature film
Best film director

Other notable installments

DirectorTitleYearNotes
Cristi PuiuStuff and Dough
Marfa și banii
2001Cristi Puiu's directorial debut
Nae Caranfil Philanthropy
Filantropica
2002
Cristian Mungiu Occident2002Cristian Mungiu's first feature film
Lucian PintilieNiki and Flo
Niki Ardelean, colonel în rezervă
2003Lucian Pintilie's last feature film
Corneliu PorumboiuLiviu's Dream
Visul lui Liviu
2004
Tudor Giurgiu Love Sick
Legături bolnăvicioase
2006Compared to My Summer of Love
Cristian NemescuMarilena from P7
Marilena de la P7
2006Cristian Nemescu's last short film
Radu MunteanThe Paper Will Be Blue
Hârtia va fi albastră
2006
Gheorghe PredaAn Angel Hooked on Me
Îngerul necesar
2007Thematically unrelated to the others.
Unconcerned with social issues.
Radu Muntean Boogie2008
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 Francesca2009
Andrei GruzsniczkiThe Other Irene
Cealaltă Irina
2009
Călin Peter Netzer Medal of Honor
Medalia de onoare
2009
Constantin PopescuPortrait of the Fighter as a Young Man
Portretul luptătorului la tinerețe
2010
Cătălin Mitulescu Loverboy2011
Radu JudeEverybody in Our Family
Toată lumea din familia noastră
2012
Corneliu PorumboiuWhen Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism
Când se lasă seara peste București sau metabolism
2013
Nae CaranfilCloser to the Moon
Mai aproape de lună
2014
Ana LunguSelf-Portrait of a Dutiful Daughter
Autoportretul unei fete cuminți
2015
Radu MunteanOne Floor Below
Un etaj mai jos
2015