The Romanian Film Promotion Association announces the 19th edition of the Gopo Awards, the annual event celebrating and rewarding the achievements of Romanian cinema. The gala, which brings together actors, directors, producers, and celebrities every year, will take place on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Bucharest. A total of 38 feature films, including fiction and documentaries released in cinemas in 2024, meet the eligibility criteria and can be evaluated and nominated for the 2025 Gopo Awards.
The organizers have also opened the call for submissions in the documentary and short film categories, with a submission deadline of February 7, 2025.
Eligible Films for the Gopo Awards 2025
Romanian films produced in Romania or as part of co-productions with a majority Romanian share, which premiered nationally between January 1 and December 31, 2024, and had at least one week of theatrical release with ticketed access, as well as those that premiered on streaming platforms, will be evaluated by an 11-member jury of film industry professionals. Nominations will be announced in March.
One of the most discussed films of 2024, The New Year That Wasn’t (dir. Bogdan Mureșanu), is among the productions eligible for the Best Romanian Film title. The film won awards in the Orizzonti section at Venice, as well as in Cairo and Palm Springs. Mureșanu’s debut attracted international critical acclaim and Romanian audience interest. Other eligible films include Three Kilometers to the End of the World (dir. Emanuel Pârvu), which competed in the Official Selection at Cannes 2024, winning the Queer Palm award, and was Romania’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. Holy Week (dir. Andrei Cohn), inspired by a novella by I.L. Caragiale, premiered internationally in the Berlinale Forum section, with lead actor Doru Bem receiving an award in Sarajevo.
Also on the list are the acclaimed documentary Nasty (dirs. Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu, Tudor D. Popescu), chronicling the career of tennis legend Ilie Năstase, which had a special screening at Cannes 2024, and Where Elephants Go (dirs. Gabi Virginia Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru), selected in TIFF 2024’s Official Competition. The trilogy finale Moromeții 3 (dir. Stere Gulea) and other titles like Part-Time Dad (dir. Letiția Roșculeț), Buzz House: The Movie (dir. Florin Babei), and The Perfect Candidate (dir. Alex Coteț) complete the list.
The full list of eligible feature films can be found on the official website: https://premiilegopo.ro/filme.
Submissions for Documentaries and Short Films
For the Best Documentary category, submissions are required for Romanian films that premiered in 2024 but were not widely screened in cinemas for more than a week. These include works presented on TV or in national or international festivals (excluding TV reports).
For Best Short Film, eligible entries must be Romanian productions premiered in cinemas, on TV, or at least one competitive festival (national or international) during 2024. Producers must register these films for them to be considered by the jury.
The jury for Best Documentary and Best Short Film will comprise five film industry professionals, including two film critics and three representatives from various fields (directors, producers, actors, cinematographers, screenwriters, etc.).
Submissions are open from January 15 to February 7, 2025.
Producers and filmmakers can fill out the technical form available online: https://premiilegopo.ro/fisa-tehnica.
The Gopo Awards regulations are available at: https://premiilegopo.ro/regulament.
Nomination and Voting Process
Nominations in all categories will be determined in March. After the announcement, over 650 active professionals from all sectors of the Romanian film industry will be invited to vote for the Gopo 2025 winners, through a secure voting system managed by PwC Romania, the prestigious audit and consultancy firm that has partnered with the Gopo Awards since 2011.
The Gopo Awards 2025 Gala is organized by the Romanian Film Promotion Association, with support from the National Center for Cinematography and Babel Communications.