The Romanian New Wave
More than a decade on, the Romanian New Wave is still going strong. Earlier in 2021, director Radu Jude won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn. Here we’ll start with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu -- the film that started it all --- and catch you up to the present day.
I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians
(Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari)
An ambitious young theater director faces censorship when she is hired to create a public art project related to Romania's past.
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- Romania, Germany, Bulgaria • 2018
- Director Radu Jude
- Cast Ioana Iacob, Alex Bogdan, Alexandru Dabija, Ion Rizea, Claudia Ieremia
- Genre Comedy, Drama, History
- Available on Klassiki, Kanopy
Touch Me Not
Through blending reality and fiction, this film follows characters who crave intimacy yet also deeply afraid of it.
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- Romania, Germany, Czech Republic • 2018
- Director Adina Pintilie
- Cast Laura Benson, Tómas Lemarquis, Christian Bayerlein, Irmena Chichikova, Grit Uhlemann, Adina Pintilie
- Genre Drama
- Available on Kanopy
Aferim!
A policeman is hired to track down a Roma slave in this black-and-white historical drama.
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- Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic • 2015
- Director Radu Jude
- Cast Teodor Corban, Mihai Comanoiu, Toma Cuzin, Alexandru Dabija, Luminița Gheorghiu
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on OVID, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Kanopy
Child's Pose
(Poziţia copilului)
After the accidental killing of a boy in a car crash, the mother tries to prevent her son being charged for the death, and she refuses to accept that her son is a grown-up man.
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- Romania • 2013
- Director Călin Peter Netzer
- Cast Vlad Ivanov, Luminița Gheorghiu, Bogdan Dumitrache, Florin Zamfirescu, Mimi Brănescu, Tania Popa
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Kanopy
Aurora
A newly divorced engineer travels across Bucharest in this epic Romanian crime drama.
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- Romania, France, Switzerland • 2011
- Director Cristi Puiu
- Cast Cristi Puiu, Clara Vodă, Catrinel Dumitrescu, Luminița Gheorghiu, Valentin Popescu, Gheorghe Ifrim
- Genre Drama
- Available on Klassiki, Kanopy
If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle
(Eu cand vreau să fluier, fluier)
Two weeks before being released from prison, teenager Silviu's life devolves into chaos
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- Romania, Sweden, Germany • 2010
- Director Florin Şerban
- Cast Ada Condeescu, Pistireanu George, Mihai Constantin, Clara Voda, Cosmin Padureanu
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu
(Autobiografia lui Nicolae Ceaușescu)
This towering cinematic achievement tracks the rise, reign, and fall of the infamous Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu through his own propaganda footage.
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- Romania, Germany • 2010
- Director Andrei Ujica
- Cast Nicolae Ceaușescu, Elena Ceausescu, Leonid Brezhnev, Mikhail Gorbachev
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Kanopy
Tuesday, After Christmas
(Marți, după Crăciun)
Paul's life story hinges on one decision.
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- Romania • 2010
- Director Radu Muntean
- Cast Dragoș Bucur, Maria Popistasu, Mimi Branescu, Victor Rebengiuc, Mirela Oprisor, Ioana Blaj
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Kanopy, Hoopla
Police, Adjective
(Polițist, adjectiv)
A cop risks his career and goes undercover to bust a drug ring.
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- Romania • 2009
- Director Corneliu Porumboiu
- Cast Dragoș Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, Irina Săulescu, Ion Stoica, Cerasela Trandafir, Marian Ghenea
- Genre Comedy, Crime, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Plex, Plex Channel
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
(4 luni, 3 săptămîni și 2 zile)
At what moment do we begin to live?
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- Romania, Belgium • 2007
- Director Cristian Mungiu
- Cast Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alexandru Potocean, Luminița Gheorghiu, Adi Cărăuleanu
- Genre Drama
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video
California Dreamin'
(Nesfârșit)
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- Romania • 2007
- Director Cristian Nemescu
- Cast Armand Assante, Răzvan Vasilescu, Jamie Elman, Maria Dinulescu, Ion Sapdaru, Alexandru Mărgineanu
- Genre Drama
- Available on IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Plex Channel
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
(Moartea domnului Lăzărescu)
A retired engineer falls ill and finds himself stuck in an ambulance with a talkative nurse.
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- Romania • 2005
- Director Cristi Puiu
- Cast Ioan Fiscuteanu, Luminița Gheorghiu, Doru Ana, Monica Bârlădeanu, Alina Berzunțeanu, Alexandru Potocean
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Fandango At Home, VUDU Free, Kanopy