Lost in transition
Romanian Shorts from the Nineties
A collection of vivid snapshots that capture the contradictions of a nation caught in a process of redefining itself, the shorts presented in the context of this program offer a multifaceted account of the Romanian transition period, in the aftermath of the violent downfall of Ceaușescu’s regime. Making use of their newfound freedom of expression, the authors behind these seven works boldly confront taboo subjects and break away from conventional narratives.
A central theme that runs through the program is the critique of the emerging capitalist system, depicted in wildly diverse ways. Films like On Set and My American Dream explore the tension between freedom and exploitation in this new social order, while others like Cișmigiu Hotel and Love Comfort Class III address the urban decay and the poverty of the post-Revolution era.
Another convergent point of interest is related to a seemingly pervasive crisis of identity that gives birth to intimate explorations of the inner workings of romantic relationships (and the inherent power imbalance that lies at their core) as it’s the case with He Poured Coffee Into His Own Cup, or to more surprising explorations of gender identity as in Ema and Alone in the World.
LIST OF FILMS ANNOUNCED
On Set | Radu Muntean | Romania | 1993
My American Dream | Teodor Oprea | Romania | 1995
He Poured Coffee Into His Own Cup | Andreea Păduraru | Romania | 1998
Love Comfort Class III | Viorel Timaru | Romania | 1995
Hotel Cișmigiu | Florin Iepan | Romania | 1992
Alone In The World | Tudor Giurgiu | Romania | 1994
Ema | Bogdan Cristian Drăgan | Romania | 1992
The films included in this program are part of a larger catalogue of student films produced at National University of Theatre and Cinema (UNATC) in Bucharest between the middle of 1960s up until the end of the 1990s. The films were rediscovered and restored in recent years as part of a curatorial process that is still ongoing, and were given a new life through public screenings in Romania, as well as through a dedicated online platform (https://arhiva.unatc.ro/filme-unatc/).
This initiative is part of a larger curatorial project titled Active Archive, developed in 2020 by UNATC „I.L. Caragiale” and carried out by the „Sorin Botoșeneanu” Center for Pedagogy and Image Studies within the university.
The programme was curated by Oana Ghera with valuable input from Andrei Rus, lecturer in film history and film studies at UNATC „I.L. Caragiale” and co-curator of the Active Archive project.
