The documentary „Arsenie. An Amazing Afterlife” (2023), by Alexandru Solomon, „Mammalia” (2023), by Sebastian Mihăilescu, „Ordinary Failures” (2022), the second feature film of Cristina Groşan, and „EO” (2022), the latest film of the great Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, are among the special screenings within the 10th edition of Ceau, Cinema! Festival, which will take place in Timişoara during July 12th – 16th.
The complete program, as well as the tickets and general passes for the anniversary edition are available on the festival website, ceaucinema.ro.
„Arsenie. An Amazing Afterlife” will be screened in the documentary section – Doc-minică, in the presence of director Alexandru Solomon and producer Ada Solomon. The film will have its second national screening at Ceau, Cinema!, after its preview screening at TIFF. The film will have its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary Festival.
The monk Arsenie Boca died some decades ago, but his hypnotic look still captivates the masses and becomes a profitable brand. The church is getting ready to sanctify him, so that the film follows the monk in a fictional pilgrimage which guides the audience, with humor and imagination, through the chaos of modern world and global anxiety.
Producer Ada Solomon will also attend the screening of „Mammalia”, the second feature film of director Sebastian Mihăilescu (who became more popular last year with „You Are Ceauşescu to Me”). The film, which had its world premiere in the Forum section of Berlinale, is a surrealistic journey through the manhood crisis and combines drama with mystery and comedy. In the leading role we find István Téglás, accompanied by actress Mălina Manovici from Timişoara.
The Romanian-Hungarian female director Cristina Groşan returns to Ceau, Cinema! with her second feature film, the Czech production „Ordinary Failures”, which had its world premiere last fall in the section Giornate degli Autori of Venice Festival. Three women are at a crossroad in their lives, while a mysterious natural phenomenon turns their world upside down. The screening is possible with the support of the Czech Center from Bucharest.
At Capitol Open Air, the audience will have the opportunity to see „EO” (2022), the latest film of the great Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski, winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes and nominated at the Academy Awards. The film follows a donkey who meets during his journeys good and bad people and experiences happiness and pain, exploring a vision of modern Europe through his eyes. The screening is supported by the Polish Institute from Bucharest.
Also at Capitol Open Air will be screened the eccentric French comedy „Incredible But True” (2022), by Quentin Dupieux, whose recent films were also included in the Ceau, Cinema! program. The film is focused on a couple who relocates into their dream home, but who is warned by the real estate agent that the thing in the basement might change their lives forever. The film had its world premiere at Berlin and it will be screened at Ceau, Cinema! with the support of the French Institute from Timişoara.
The festival program also includes a French cinema classic, „Lumière d’été” (1943), of the great director Jean Grémillon. The screening of this drama about complicated love affairs is occasioned by the 80 years’ anniversary of the film and it is supported by the French Institute from Bucharest.
An anniversary screening as well is that of the Romanian film „Fox-Hunter” (1993, d. Stere Gulea), at 30 years since its premiere. The film, staring Oana Pellea in the leading role, is inspired by the events preceding the Revolution from Timişoara on December 1989 and it is based on the book „Încă de pe atunci vulpea era vânătorul” (Der Fuchs war damals schon der Jäger) by Herta Müller. The feature film will be screened in a version especially enabled for visually impaired persons, with the support of the Foundation ”Cartea Călătoare”.
The section Films from Banat presents a series of short films, selected based on a call for submission and who are made by or involve filmmakers from the Banat region. For example the animation ”It’s a Clown’s Life” (d. Ion Ioachim Stroe), which has in the leading role the well-known actor from Timişoara Ovidiu Mihăiţă, a snippet of ”1400 km” (provisory title), the latest documentary of Mircea Gherase and Lucian Mircu, about nine ultra-runners who ran on Via Transilvanica, the documentary „Morning Routine” (d. Robert Kocsis), as well as the short fiction films ”Once a Shift Ends” (d. Radu M. Savin), based on a story of writer Cristian Vicol from Timișoaraabout a moment during the Revolution from Timişoara, and „Hentai Sushi” (d. Andrei Hazi Barbu). The screenings will be attended by members of the film production teams.
Ceau, Cinema! continues this year, as well, the collaboration with Animest Festival, by showing short animations for children, within the section Ceau, Junior! The screening will be followed by a creation workshop for the young ones, held by Timişoara la cutie.
More details on the program and on the films are available on ceaucinema.ro, and on the festival Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Ceau, Cinema! Festival is dedicated to European cinema and is organized by the Association Pelicula Culturală and founded together with the Association Marele Ecran.
The project is part of the National Cultural Programme „Timișoara–European Capital of Culture in 2023” and is funded through the programme European Echoes, conducted by the Center for Projects Timișoara, with amounts allotted from the state budget, through the Ministry of Culture budget.
Sponsors: Vitas Romania, Groupama Insurance.
Funded by: the Romanian Film Center.
Partners: Marele Ecran Association, Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF), the German Cultural Center from Timişoara, the Austrian Cultural Forum Bucharest, the Polish Institute Bucharest, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center Bucharest, the Czech Center Bucharest, the Embassy of Spain, Cervantes Institute from Bucharest, the Italian Cultural Institute from Bucharest, the French Institute from Timișoara, the French Institute from Bucharest.
With the support of: Ceva de Spus Association, Cartea Călătoare Foundation, Cinema Victoria, Animest, Ibis Timisoara City Center, TAZZ, Faber, Timişoara la cutie, The House of Arts– the County Direction for Culture Timiş, Claudia Roşu.
Media partners: All about Romanian Cinema (AaRC), West City Radio, Ziarul Metropolis.