FILMS FROM BANAT

FILMS FROM BANAT

A fiction feature film and two feature documentaries, as well as eight short films are part of this year’s non-competitive program FILMS FROM BANAT. This section, which already has a tradition, aimed from the beginning to encourage and be a showcase for productions made in Banat or with subjects set in Banat and for filmmakers, regardless of age and experience, who work or come from the area. The screenings will be followed by discussions with the film crews.

Clara

Director: Sabin Dorohoi

Cast: Olga Török, Luca Puia, Ovidiu Crişan, Claudia Ieremia, Ida Gaza-Jarcek, Elina Leitl, David Rott

Drama – Romania/Germany – 2023 – 83 min.  + 12

Language: Romanian, German

Subtitles: Romanian, English

Synopsis

Clara is a Romanian teacher working as a live-in babysitter for a family in Germany. When her son goes missing back home, she returns to her home village where she has to face her failure as a mother in her attempt to become a reliable parent.

Festivals: Cottbus, SEEFest

Thursday, July 18, 7.00 p.m.

Cinema Timiș

Filmul este adus cu sprijinul Centrului Cultural German din Timişoara

The run of your life

Director: Mircea Gherase, Lucian Mircu

Documentary – Romania – 2024 – 85 min.

Language: Romanian

Subtitles: English

Synopsis

Tibi Ușeriu, Corneliu Buliga, Eva Hochbauer, Toma Coconea and five more ultra runners set off from the North of the country towards the Danube, on Via Transilvanica, the longest and most beautiful uninterrupted trail from Romania, recently landscaped. 1.400 kilometers, over 30.000 m. elevation difference, in 24 days. A lot is going to happen between these two milestones which embrace a whole country (Putna-Drobeta) and ten reasons a day to abandon: the threat of bears and sheepdogs, getting lost in the night, endless races under the sun and rain, until the skin peels off, the nails fall, just like all the masks, eventually. No runner is a granted finalist. They all know that suffering is inevitable.

Friday, July 19, 7.15 p.m.

Cinema Timiș

Un mal rebel

Director: Bogdan Puslenghea

Documentar – Romania – 2024 – 86 min.  +15

Language: Romanian

Subtitles: English

Synopsis:

The documentary follows Doru Chirodea, the most unknown poet from Timisoara, whose activity begins in the United States, in the second half of the ‘80s, where he is known in some underground, non-academic circles, in the niche world of zines and independent literary magazines. Back in his hometown, he makes periodic book releases, published in a DIY fashion, in obscure and ephemeral bars, but with a core for a certain local bohemia, on the way to extinction. The film calmly reflects on this end of a lifestyle that already belongs to another era.

Sunday, July 21, 7.30 p.m.

Cinema Timiș

Perfect Two

Director: Xandra Popescu

Cast: Ioana Iacob, Jon Kiriac

Drama – Germany/Romania – 2022 – 14 min.  +15

Language: Romanian

Subtitles: English

Sinopsis:

An idyllic field trip, falling out, dashed dreams, the terror of mortality.

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

Sentimental Stories

Director: Xandra Popescu

Drama – Germany – 2023 – 16 min. +15

Language: Greek, Spanish, French, German

Subtitles: Romanian, English

Synopsis

An almost deserted diner in the middle of the port. The owner, Violeta, dreams of a life that could have been different. She employs her niece, Maria, a radical passivist who steers away from any drive or ambition. Between chores and cigarette breaks, they talk about the future. As the day passes, they witness one love story dying out while another is trying to be born.

Festivals: Venice

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

Two words, three lies

Director: Ioachim Stroe

Cast: Andi Vasluianu, Ovidiu Mihăiță, Andrei Butică, Alex Călin, Diana Spiridon

Drama/Comedy – Romania – 2023 – 22 min.  +15

Language: Romanian

Subtitles: English

Synopsis

A team of forensic police officers films the reenactment of a murder, the hero of the video being one of the two defendants. Things start to get complicated once inside the victim’s home, when the defendant’s statement does not match the reality at the scene.

Festivals: TIFF, Gopo Awards

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

The Boar with Silver Tusks

Director: George Sorinca

Animation – Romania – 2024 – 7 min.  +15

Synopsis

While hunting a mysterious boar, a man gets lost in the forest. He encounters more and more stranger things while his life is also being put in danger.

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

Claudia (Working Title)

Director: Adrian Sitaru

Drama – Romania – 2023 – 20 min.  +15

Synopsis

An improvised fiction about a film crew wanting to make a movie with a homeless woman as an actress, end up under the guise of goodwill to tarnish the woman’s image and not truly give her a role.

Festivals: TIFF

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

We light a candle when the power goes out

Director: Iriana Adnana

Drama – Romania – 2023 – 20 min. +15

Language: Romanian

Subtitles: English

Synopsis

Alina came home without a notice. It’s the day before her little sister, Ioana, has an important exam. Throughout the day Ioana tries to reach their hospitalized mother via phone or text messages, but without a chance. The two sisters end up having a fight due to Alina’s peculiar behavior. Ioana decides to go to the hospital to see their mother, and Alina resorts to the truth.

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

Circus

Director: Ioan-Alexandru Sîrbu

Cast: Codruța Bonta, Andrei Mărgineanu, Ioan Crișan, Ioana Pitic, Eduard Crucianu, Tudor Jula, Ama Beschieru, Adrian Stancu

Drama/Comedy – Romania – 2023 – 20 min. +15

Language: Romanian

Subtitles: English

Synopsis:

A young psychologist, a recent graduate, is trying to find out why a group of acting students refuses to return to their classes. She finds herself in the middle of a Circus. The story describes, in a nutshell, the current situation of acting students in Romania – abused by their teachers, tired, frustrated and alienated. A short film inspired by ‘The Empire of Cats’, written by Alex Tocilescu.

Festivals: TIFF, Early-Bird

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema

Still Life

Director: Sami Al Mouallem

Fantasy – Romania – 2023 – 3 min.

Language: No dialogue

Subtitles: No dialogue

Synopsis:

Following numerous futile attempts to finish a drawing and grappling with an inspiration crisis, a young artist channels her frustration onto a wooden art mannequin. As she dozes off, the scorned doodled mannequin seizes the opportunity for payback, orchestrating a cheeky prank on the slumbering artist. Revenge served with a touch of artistic mischief!

Saturday, July 20, 7.30 p.m.

Victoria Cinema