Anora, Palme d’Or 2024, national premiere at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest

The Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest festival returns for its 15th edition, between October 25 and November 3, offering the Romanian public the opportunity to watch, for the first time in Romania, the newest and most acclaimed films from world cinema.

In Bucharest, the screenings will take place at Cinema Elvire Popesco, Cineplexx Băneasa, Cinema Muzeul Tțăranului and at the Auditorium Hall of the National Art Museum of Romania. In the country, the festival will have local editions in Timișoara, Cluj, Iași and Arad, bringing the magic of films from the world of auteur cinema closer to the Romanian public.

In addition to more than 50 screenings of the most anticipated auteur films, Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest will organize for the Romanian public meetings and debates with filmmakers and writers, as well as professional events for actors, directors, screenwriters or film producers.

About “Anora”, directed by Sean Baker, this year’s winner of the Palme d’Or and already a big favorite at the Oscars, American filmmaker Greta Gerwig, president of the Cannes festival jury, said: “This film is magnificent, full of humanity (…) It broke our hearts”.

Anora, a young sex worker in Brooklyn, gets a chance at a “Cinderella” story when she impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. But once word reaches Russia, her fairy tale is threatened, and the newlywed’s parents head to New York to annul the marriage. The film, directed by one of the most important American directors of the new generation, was also highly praised for the “nuanced and intense” performance of the actress Mikey Madison.

“All We Imagine as Light”, directed by Payal Kapadia, was rewarded at the festival with the Grand Prix, the grand prize also being awarded to it for “the emotional and thorough exploration of themes related to love and the complicated relationships that surround it”. In Mumbai, nurse Prabha’s life is turned upside down when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. At the same time, her roommate, Anu, is trying to find a place in the city where she can have more privacy with her boyfriend. “All We Imagine as Light”, which film critic Peter Bradshaw praised in The Guardian as “a miraculous film that wakes you up as if from a dream”, is the first Indian film to ever win the Grand Prix at Cannes.

“Emilia Perez”, directed by Jacques Audiard (Palme d’Or for Dheepan), awarded with the Jury Award and the Award for Best Female Performance for the four actresses in the main roles, combines elements of thriller with musical, having them in cast Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz.

The film tells the story of a Mexican cartel leader, Juan “Manitas” Del Monte, and the surprising transformations he decides to go through. The film caused controversy at Cannes as transgender actress Karla Sofia Gascon was among the actresses who received the prize for acting. “Emilia Perez” has been selected to represent France in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars in March 2025. After its premiere at Cannes 2024, Netflix picked up “Emilia Perez” for $12 million.

Miguel Gomes, known for Tabu, The Tsugua Diaries and the One Thousand and One Nights trilogy, returned to Cannes this year with a blistering film for which he was awarded Best Director. The action of “Grand Tour” takes place in 1917, in Rangoon, Burma, and follows the story of Edward, a British clerk who runs away from his fiancée, Molly, on the very day she arrives to marry him.

On an epic journey through Asia, Edward reflects on his life as Molly follows in his footsteps, thinking about their delayed marriage and all the dreams she had. “The real fascination of this film lies in the humidity you feel in the atmosphere, combined with the splendor of the East and Southeast Asian locations, which urges you to travel from Singapore to Bangkok, to Shanghai and Rangoon. It’s a film you lose yourself in,” wrote the American critic Justin Chang in The New Yorker about “Grand Tour”, which will be seen in its national premiere at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest.

“The Substance”, directed by Coralie Fargeat, Best Screenplay Award at Cannes 2024, will be screened in the national premiere at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest. It tells the story of Elisabeth Sparkle, a TV star in decline, played by Demi Moore. She turns to a substance capable of regenerating her cells, creating a more vibrant and youthful version of Sue, played by actress Margaret Qualley. A film through which Coralie Fargeat directs attention to the female body.

“This has a massive impact on women’s lives and conditions a huge number of things in society. Our body defines us, generates inequalities and violence, including on our part. We are almost bound to detest him in one way or another and he can become our first instrument of torture”, said Coralie Fargeat, quoted by AFP.

The complete program of the 15th edition of Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest, information about the films, related events and guests, will be available on www.filmedefestival.ro and on the Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Tickets will go on sale through the Eventbook network in early October.

“Emilia Perez” and “The Substance” are distributed in Romania by Independenta Film and “Grand Tour” and “All We Imagine as Light” by Voodoo Films. “Anora” is distributed by Ro Image 2000 and will enter cinemas from with November 8.