New Romanians, 6/27.

"Of the three hits that managed to impress both critics and cinema lovers in Bucharest last year, Catalin Mitulescu's Cum mi-am petrecut sfarsitul lumii (The Way I Spent the End of the World) is definitely the most ambitious and, no doubt, the most controversial," writes Silviu Mihai at european-films.net. As for what he's looking forward to, "Little is known about Corneliu Porumboiu's next production, but, judging by his first feature, A fost sau n-a fost? (12:08 East of Bucharest), one thing is clear: the director can really work wonders on an incredibly low budget, handling a very well mastered plot with an almost classical rigour in concept and cinematography.... Now, the director has announced a change in style for his next production."

Updated through 6/29.

Mitulescu, in the meantime, "is going to make Un balon in forma de inima (A Heart-Shaped Balloon), a love story about Anechitoaia, a 17 year old orphan, in love with Veli, a girl a little older than him," film journalist Stefan Dobroiu tells us. And his recommendation for what you can watch now is The Death of Mr Lazarescu.

"Romania hasn't been a dictatorship since 1989, but it still suffers from appalling economic misery, a blighted industrial landscape, and massive government corruption," blogs George Packer. "Naturally, it's enjoying a golden age of movies."

Earlier: "New Romanians."

Update, 6/28: Boyd van Hoeij presents an alphabetical "Cheater's Guide to Recent Romanian Cinema" and gets film critic Anca Gradinariu to write up Palme d'Or-winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and as for what she's looking forward to, "I don't know exactly what Cristi Puiu is up to next. Everyone is anxious, everyone is waiting.... Some months ago, after a huge scandal with the CNC, the National Council of Cinematography, he decided to give back the money he received for his third feature Hrana pentru pestii mici (Scenes of a Murder). The rumours are saying he is working on a completely new script that he hopes he'll be shooting with foreign investment."

Update, 6/29: European-films.net wraps its Romanian week with freelance journalist and critic Mihai Fulger, who casts another vote for The Way I Spent the End of the World and explains why he's looking forward to Cea mai fericita fata din lume (The Happiest Girl in the World), "the first feature film from the Radu Jude, the director of Lampa cu caciula (The Tube with a Hat) from 2006, the most awarded short film in the history of Romanian cinema."

Posted by dwhudson at June 27, 2007 8:26 AM