The Romanian New Wave () is a genre of realist and often minimalist films made in Romania since the mid-2000s, 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
Aesthetically, 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 (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, The Paper Will Be Blue, The Way I Spent the End of the World, Tales from the Golden Age), others, however (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, California Dreamin', Tuesday, After Christmas), 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:
YearTitleDirectorAwards1998Train of LifeTrenul vieţiiRadu MihăileanuWon Best Foreign Film at the 1998 David di Donatello AwardsWon the Anicaflash and FIPRESCI Awards at the 55th Venice International Film Festival2003A Trip to the CityCălătorie la orașCorneliu PorumboiuWon the Second Cinefondation Award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival2004Cigarettes and CoffeeUn cartuș de Kent și un pachet de cafeaCristi PuiuWon the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2004 Berlin International Film FestivalTraficCătălin MitulescuWon the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival2005The Death of Mr. LazarescuMoartea Domnului LăzărescuCristi PuiuWon the Un Certain Regard at the 2005 Cannes Film FestivalThe first feature film to bring the emerging movement into the international spotlight.2006The Way I Spent the End of the WorldCum mi-am petrecut sfârșitul lumiiCătălin MitulescuWon the Best Actress Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival12:08 East of BucharestA fost sau n-a fost?Corneliu PorumboiuWon the Caméra d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival20074 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days4 luni, 3 săptămâni și 2 zileCristian MungiuWon the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film FestivalCalifornia Dreamin'Cristian NemescuWon the Un Certain Regard at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival2008HookedPescuit sportivAdrian SitaruWon in the New Voices/New Vision section at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film FestivalA Good Day for a SwimO zi bună de plajăBogdan MustațăWon the Short Film Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlin International Film FestivalMegatronMarian CrișanWon the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival2009The Happiest Girl in the WorldCea mai fericită fată din lumeRadu JudeWon the CICAE Forum Award at the 2009 Berlin International Film FestivalLe ConcertConcertulRadu MihăileanuWon the Southwest Audience Award for Best Narrative feature at the Nashville Film FestivalPolice, AdjectivePolițist, AdjectivCorneliu PorumboiuWon the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival2010If I Want to Whistle, I WhistleEu când vreau să fluier, fluierFlorin ȘerbanWon the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at the 2010 Berlin International Film FestivalAuroraCristi PuiuWon the East of the West Award at the 2010 Karlovy Vary International Film FestivalMorgenMarian CrișanWon the Special Jury Prize at the 2010 Locarno International Film FestivalOutboundPerifericBogdan George ApetriWon the FIPRESCI Award at the 2010 Warsaw International Film FestivalTuesday, After ChristmasMarți, după CrăciunRadu MunteanWon the Best Actress Award at the 2010 Mar del Plata International Film Festival2011Best IntentionsDin dragoste cu cele mai bune intențiiAdrian SitaruWon the Leopard for Best Direction at the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival2012Beyond the HillsDupă dealuriCristian MungiuWon the Golden Ástor at the 2012 Mar del Plata International Film FestivalWon both the Best Screenplay and the Best Actress Award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival2013Child's PosePoziția copiluluiCălin Peter NetzerWon the Golden Bear at the 2013 Berlin International Film FestivalIn the FishbowlÎn acvariuTudor Cristian JurgiuWon the Third Cinefondation Award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival2015Aferim!Radu JudeWon the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2015 Berlin International Film FestivalThe TreasureComoaraCorneliu PorumboiuWon the Un Certain Talent in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film FestivalBoxFlorin ȘerbanWon the FIPRESCI Award at the 2015 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival2016DogsCâiniBogdan MiricăWon the FIPRESCI Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2016 Cannes Film FestivalGraduationBacalaureatCristian MungiuWon the Best Director Award at the 2016 Cannes Film FestivalSieranevadaCristi PuiuWon both the Gold Hugo and the Silver Hugo at the 2016 Chicago International Film FestivalScarred HeartsInimi cicatrizateRadu JudeWon the Special Jury Prize at the 2016 Locarno International Film FestivalWon the Best Director Award at the 2016 Mar del Plata International Film Festival2017PororocaConstantin PopescuWon the Silver Seashell for Best Actor at the 2017 San Sebastián International Film FestivalAna, mon amourCălin Peter NetzerWon the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival2018Touch Me NotNu mă atinge-măAdina PintilieWon the Golden Bear at the 2018 Berlin International Film FestivalI Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as BarbariansÎmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbariRadu JudeWon the Crystal Globe at the 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival2020MalmkrogCristi PuiuWon the Best Director Award in the Encounters section at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival2021Bad Luck Banging or Loony PornBabardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamucRadu JudeWon the Golden Bear at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival2024Three Kilometres to the End of the WorldTrei kilometri până la capătul lumiiEmanuel PârvuWon the Queer Palm at the 2024 Cannes Film FestivalThe New Year That Never CameAnul Nou care n-a fostBogdan MureșanuWon the Orizzonti Award at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival2025Kontinental '25Radu JudeWon the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival2026FjordCristian MungiuWon the Palme d'Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
Legend:
Best feature filmBest short film or second-best feature filmBest film director
Other notable works
YearDirectorTitleNotes2001Cristi PuiuStuff and Dough Marfa și baniiCristi Puiu's directorial debut2002Nae CaranfilPhilanthropy FilantropicaCristian MungiuOccidentCristian Mungiu's first feature film2003Lucian PintilieNiki and Flo Niki Ardelean, colonel în rezervăLucian Pintilie's last feature film2004Corneliu PorumboiuLiviu's Dream Visul lui Liviu2006Tudor GiurgiuLove Sick Legături bolnăvicioaseCompared to My Summer of LoveCristian NemescuMarilena from P7 Marilena de la P7Cristian Nemescu's last short filmRadu MunteanThe Paper Will Be Blue Hârtia va fi albastră2007Gheorghe PredaAn Angel Hooked on Me Îngerul necesarThematically unrelated to the others. Unconcerned with social issues.2008Radu MunteanBoogie2009Cristian Mungiu et al.Tales from the Golden Age Amintiri din Epoca de AurRăzvan Rădulescu et al.First of All, Felicia Felicia, înainte de toateBobby PăunescuFrancescaAndrei GruzsniczkiThe Other Irene Cealaltă IrinaCălin Peter NetzerMedal of Honor Medalia de onoare2010Constantin PopescuPortrait of the Fighter as a Young Man Portretul luptătorului la tinerețe2011Cătălin MitulescuLoverboy2012Radu JudeEverybody in Our Family Toată lumea din familia noastrăTudor GiurgiuOf Snails and Men Despre oameni și melci2013Corneliu PorumboiuWhen Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism Când se lasă seara peste București sau metabolism2014Nae CaranfilCloser to the Moon Mai aproape de lună2015Ana LunguSelf-Portrait of a Dutiful Daughter Autoportretul unei fete cuminți2015Radu MunteanOne Floor Below Un etaj mai josTudor GiurgiuWhy Me? De ce eu?2019Corneliu PorumboiuThe Whistlers La GomeraAlexander NanauCollective ColectivFirst Romanian film to be nominated for an Academy Award
References
Further reading
Realism and ideology in post-2000 Romanian cinema, by Andrei Gorzo for the British Film Institute, June 6, 2016. Romania continues an unlikely cinematic domination at Cannes, with a pair of rival directors, by Steven Zeitchik for Los Angeles Times, May 25, 2016. 15 Essential Films for an Introduction to the Romanian New Wave, by Andrew Ricci for Taste of Cinema, October 11, 2014. Romania's overlooked New Wave, by Larry Rohter for The New York Times, December 18, 2013. , in Bonjour Tristesse, November 1, 2010. Cannes 2010: Those Romanians are at it again, by Steven Zeitchik for Los Angeles Times, May 13, 2010. Romania's New Wave is riding high, by Ronald Bergman for The Guardian, March 26, 2008. On the New Romanian Cinema, by Marina Kaceanov for A Danish Journal of Film Studies No. 25, March 25, 2008. On The Romanian New Wave, by Ion Martea for Culture Wars, March 18, 2008. New Wave on the Black Sea, by A.O. Scott for The New York Times, January 20, 2008. Eastern Promise, in British Film Institute's Sight & Sound October 2007 issue. Romanian New Wave, International Spotlight "Romania at LAFF 2007", by Vera Mijojlic for Cinema Without Borders, June 18, 2007.