A long-in-the-making labor of love is coming to life
We are excited to support the first edition of the newest showcase of Romanian film in North America, the Romanian Film Festival of Twin Cities, organized by the Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota (HORA), our long-time partner and one of the most influential cultural organizations of the Romanian American community.
Entitled TALES OF OUR DESTINY, the cinematic event, a long-in-the-making labor of love, will offer two days of award-winning productions at the Landmark Center in St. Paul on November 18 and 19, 2023.
More about the festival HERE.
Freedom (Libertate) by Tudor Giurgiu
(2023, 109 minutes)
In the chaotic days of the December 1989 revolution that overthrew the Communist regime, the Transylvanian city of Sibiu becomes the scene of a violent assault on a Police unit that quickly escalates into a bloody confrontation between soldiers, policemen, civilian protesters and representatives of the secret police. In a desperate attempt to escape the siege, Police captain Viorel is captured by the army and thrown into an empty swimming pool along with hundreds of prisoners accused of being terrorists.
Men of Deeds (Oameni de treabă) by Paul Negoescu
(2022, 105 minutes)
Ilie, a small-town police chief, wants to build a modest comfortable life for himself, but ends up making the wrong choices. Middle-aged and alienated, he feels the need to be a part of something – to build an orchard, even a home. Although dubious things happen in the village, Ilie only sees what suits him. The moment he gets involved in the village marks the beginning of his collapse. In a vacuum of solutions, he tries to be what he has never been before: the justice seeker who arrests everyone guilty.
“An exceedingly mordant comedy that gradually bleeds out to tragedy, Paul Negoescu‘s “Men of Deeds” is another Romanian exercise in finding personal and institutional corruption under every upturned stone, behind every unlocked small-town door, in every heavily conditional handshake. Audiences won’t be nearly as startled, but it’s bleakly compelling all the same.” (Variety)
To the North (Spre nord) by Mihai Mincan
(2022, 123 minutes)
Based on a true story. 1996, open sea.
During his shift on a transatlantic ship’s deck, Joel, a religious Filipino sailor, discovers Dumitru, a Romanian stowaway hidden between some containers.
If he is spotted by the Taiwanese officers running the vessel, Dumitru is at risk to be thrown overboard. Joel decides to hide him, as a sign of his gratitude towards God. Soon, a dangerous cat and mouse game begins. When his crew, his own friends, even God Himself starts to turn their backs on him, Joel learns that he has to face his cruel destiny alone.
Day of the Tiger (Tigru) by Andrei Tănase
(2023, 80 minutes)
Vera is a small-town veterinarian from Transylvania, whose marriage with actor-director Toma is going through a difficult period. On a particular day, while a new tiger is brought to the zoo where she works, Vera finds out that her husband is hiding something. While going through an emotional breakdown, Vera has to search for an escaped tiger.
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