Film festivals in Romania not to be missed in 2014

Romania started to promote some of the most influential and well-known film festivals, showcasing a range of shorts and feature-length movies of every genre imaginable. For 2014, check out our list of the ones not to miss.

March 17-23

One World Romania

One World Romania has reached its 6th edition. It’s the only documentary festival in Bucharest and the only one dedicated to human rights in Romania. First, it was an offspring of the One World in Prague, initiated by the Czech Centre Bucharest. Gradually the selection and organization became autonomous. In 2009 the organizers of the festival started the One World Romania Association.

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April 3-7

Next Film Festival

Each year, the organizers gather short and medium films made by young and talented movie directors and sound designers from around the world. A maximum of 30 films are selected each year to take part in the festival and to compete for the NexT awards. The directors and sound-designers of these movies are invited to Bucharest throghout the whole Festival, because NexT is more than an intelligent film selection, it is a meeting place for all those who use films to live their lives and express themselves.

30 May – 8 June

Transilvania International Film Festival

The (almost) 400 screenings gathered over 62.000 paying viewers for this year’s edition. The grand total of viewers – counting those present at the additional TIFF events (workshops, presentations, concerts and free screenings) and those who visited, on a daily basis, the main open air locations of the festival (Casa TIFF, Unirii Square, the Art Museum, Banffy Castle in Bonțida, Open Air Mănăștur) – surpasses 120.000, for the whole 10 festival days. In addition to the local audiences, TIFF attracted an impressive number of visitors from cities such as Bucharest, Bistrița, Dej, Turda, Oradea, Sibiu, Arad, Târgu Mureș or Sfîntu Gheorghe.

September

Romania International Film Festival

Founded in 2005, it is the only international film festival that, from the very beginning, looked towards the Black Sea region’s film industry (Russia, MoldavianRepublic, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Romania). Initially founded for the film productions mentioned above, due to it’s growth in 2009, another competiv section was added – Woman in cinema. In the same year we chose the name Ro-IFF, a name that best represents us.

Kinofest

Kinofest is the first and most important digital film festival in Romania, since 2007. and one of the most significant in the Central-East Europe.

The film competition has 3 sections (Animation, Fiction, Micromovie), with distinct juries. The prizes are: Best Animation, Best Fiction, Best Micromovie, and, if our budget will allow us, we’ll have another 2 prizes: The Jury’s Prize for Animation and Fiction.

October

Astra Film Sibiu

Astra Film Festival had its 20th anniversary edition in 2013, where for seven days, the city of Sibiu has become the international capital of documentary: screenings, concerts, exhibitions, conferences, masterclasses. The celebration of film has spread its lively spirit all throughout the city: hundreds of flags have been floating above the streets and the city’s youth have organised an unconventional promotion event: an anniversary tour on bikes and motorbikes. Approximately 200 screenings have drummed up more than 80 000 spectators from Romania and from all around the world. Cinema goers, directors of international festivals, cinema professionals, students and volunteers from all around the country, but also from Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Ukraine, Switzerland, Croatia, Estonia, Israel, Portugal, Russia, UK, Canada, USA, South Africa etc. have been staying in Sibiu between the 14th and the 20th of October to attend ASTRA FILM FESTIVAL.

Anim’est

The anim’est International Animation Film Festival, established in 2006, has become Bucharest’s most loved film festival and a recognized event on the international animation scene. The presentations, workshops, master-classes and round tables provide the perfect opportunity to get in touch with the latest creations and make contacts. The festival’s programme consists of six competitive sections (international feature film, international short film, Romanian film, student film, video & advertising, Balkanimation – dedicated to films produced in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYRO Macedonia, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey), the Mozaic section – presenting the hottest animation short & feature animations in international film festivals and also special sections & retrospectives dedicated to important animation studios, directors, film schools and festivals. Workshops, masterclasses, special parallel events, concerts and parties open to the festival guests and audience. The anim’est Trophy is presented every year to one of the films competing in the short film competition.

December

BUCHAREST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL

Created under the patronage of the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” and the National University of Arts Bucharest, with the support of the Romanian National Cinema Centre, BUCHAREST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL BIEFF has as its main focus the courage to experiment in cinematic language.

BIEFF is the first showcase of avant-garde cinema and visual art in Romania, a non-commercial event with educational purpose, aimed at bringing in front of the audience highly innovative films and filmmakers with strong personal views on contemporary reality, which also daringly explore the boundaries of cinematic language. A cinema of total creative freedom and lack of compromise.

Oana Vasiliu