Ceau, Cinema! 13
COMPETITION
Cinema Unleashed is the concept under which the six European fiction films included in the competition for the 13th edition were selected. With their world premieres at the most important international festivals, such as Berlin, Venice and Toronto, the films competing this year for the Ceau, Cinema! “Răzvan Georgescu” Trophy and the Audience Award come from Austria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey.
“The number 13 is full of meanings. In some cultures it is associated with bad luck. In others, it is the expression of luck. Therefore, a symbol of infinite potential. Of unleashed energies. We decided that the selection for this year’s competition would be under the sign of unleashed cinema. A cinema that tries to avoid conventions, either at a narrative level or at a formal level. There are six surprising, bold films that have the necessary inventiveness to convince us of the vitality of contemporary European cinema” – Ionuţ Mareş, artistic director of Ceau, Cinema!
The Eruption / Erupcja
+15
Director: Pete Ohs
Cast: Charli XCX, Lena Góra, Will Madden
Drama, Comedy, Romance – Poland, USA — 2025 — 1h 11min
Language: English, Polish
Subtitles: Romanian, English
Synopsis:
A romantic vacation goes awry when a volcanic eruption strands Bethany and her soon-to-be fiancé, Rob, in Warsaw, Poland. Bethany takes the explosive event as a sign to ditch her emotional baggage, reunite with childhood friend Nel, and wander across lofts, clubs, and back alleys, all while becoming entangled in an emotional web that challenges her sense of self.
Festivals: Toronto, SXSW, IndieLisboa
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 5:00 PM
Studio Cinema, Timișoara
The film is brought with the support of the Polish Institute in Bucharest.
Hen / Kota
+12
Director: György Pálfi
Cast: Yannis Kokiasmenos, Maria Diakopanayotou, Argyris Pandazaras
Drama – Greece, Hungary, Germany — 2025 — 1h 38min
Language: Greek
Subtitles: Romanian, English
Synopsis:
Told entirely from the perspective of its avian protagonist, Hen follows a chicken who escapes an industrial farm only to find herself navigating the pecking order of a crumbling seaside restaurant in Greece. As she fights to protect her eggs, she becomes an unwitting witness to the complex human lives around her as the restaurant is caught up in greed, smuggling, and the migrant crisis.
Festivals: Toronto, San Sebastián, Istanbul – Special Mention
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 7:00 PM
Timiș Cinema, Timișoara
Mother’s Baby
+15
Director: Johanna Moder
Cast: Marie Leuenberger, Hans Löw, Claes Bang, Julia Franz Richter
Psychological thriller, Mystery – Austria, Switzerland, Germany — 2025 — 1h 48min
Language: German
Subtitles: Romanian, English
Synopsis:
Julia, a successful 40-year-old conductor, and her partner Georg long for a child and turn to a specialist at an alternative fertility clinic. After a traumatic childbirth, Julia returns home with her newborn, haunted by the constant feeling that something is wrong with the baby. As she struggles between exhaustion, isolation, and growing distrust, she begins to question her own perception. The line between reality and fear gradually starts to blur.
Festivals: Berlinale – Competition, Viennale, Tallinn, Stockholm
Friday, July 17, 2026, 5:00 PM
Studio Cinema, Timișoara
The film is brought with the support of the Austrian Cultural Forum
Salvation / Kurtuluş
+15
Director: Emin Alper
Cast: Berkay Ateş, Feyyaz Duman, Naz Göktan
Drama – Turkey, Netherlands — 2026 — 1h 57min
Language: Turkish
Subtitles: Romanian, English
Synopsis:
In a remote village, an exiled clan returns, reigniting a decades-old land feud. Seized by divine visions, Mesut challenges his brother’s authority in an attempt to save his people. But it remains unclear whether this new path will bring salvation or tragedy.
Festivals: Berlinale — Silver Bear – Grand Jury Prize, San Francisco, Hong Kong
Friday, July 17, 2026, 7:00 PM
Studio Cinema, Timișoara
Father
+15
Director: Tereza Nvotová
Cast: Milan Ondrík, Dominika Morávková, Anna Geislerová
Drama – Slovakia, Czech Republic – 2025 – 1h 42min
Language: Slovakian
Subtitles: Romanian, English
Synopsis:
A successful man’s seemingly perfect life collapses when his baby disappears from daycare. A frantic phone call from his wife reveals the devastating reality of Forgotten Baby Syndrome, a tragedy that has affected countless families around the world.
Festivals: Veneţia – Orizzonti, Stockholm, Tallinn, Zurich
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
Studio Cinema, Timişoara
A Year of School / Un anno di scuola
+12
Director: Laura Samani
Cast: Stella Wendick, Giacomo Covi, Pietro Giustolisi, Samuel Volturno
Drama, Coming-of-Age – Italy —2025 — 1h 42min
Language: Italian, Triestine dialect, English, Swedish
Subtitles: Romanian, English
Sinopsis:
September 2007. From her home in Sweden, Fred moves to Trieste on the Adriatic Sea with her father, who has taken a new management job in the Northeastern Italian city. Feisty and curious, she enrolls in the local Technical High School for her Senior Year, finding herself as the only girl in an all-male class. She quickly becomes the center of attention, especially for three friends: the fascinating and reserved Antero, the outgoing womanizer Pasini, and the sweet and protective Mitis. The three have been a unit for as long as they can remember. Fred’s arrival disrupts their equilibrium and puts their longstanding friendship to the test. As each of the boys secretly desires Fred for himself, she yearns to be accepted into their circle and become one of them. But to truly belong, she is asked to sacrifice more and more.
Festival: Veneţia – Orizzonti – Best Actor Award (Giacomo Covi), Göteborg, Zurich
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 5:00 PM
Studio Cinema, Timișoara
The film is brought with the support of the Italian Cultural Institute in Bucharest.