Film O’clock International Festival brings a daring selection of contemporary and classical films into the limelight for its fourth edition

A simultaneous celebration of cinema at the UNATC – the I.L. Caragiale National University of Theatrical and Cinema Arts Bucharest – and several prestigious cultural institutions in seven other countries.

Film O’Clock promises a new and memorable cinema experience in 2024 as well, providing audiences with the opportunity to enjoy a variety of contemporary and classical films, as well as associated cultural events. The festival will take place between the 28^th of February and the 3^rd of March 2024, with simultaneous screenings in Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece, Egypt, and South Africa. The fourth edition of the festival is organized by Creatrix Fama and Mockra Productions, with support from Dacin Sara and ABI Foundation. The screenings in Romania will be hosted by the Cinema Hall in the UNATC – the I.L. Caragiale National University of Theatrical and Cinema Arts Bucharest – a prestigious partner. Access to screenings and talks is free.

The fourth edition of the Film O’clock International Festival is prepared to enrapture audiences with a daring array of short films, timeless classic films, and online discussions for professionals.

By highlighting distinct artistic visions and narrative wealth, the festival showcases ten titles which will compete in the international short film competition, and six screenings of classic films. The schedule is designed to offer a dynamic platform both for emerging and established directors, to interract with the audience and with colleagues from within the industry.

The carefully curated selection for the international short film competition was undertaken by Mirona Radu (Romania), Andrew Mohsen (Egypt) and Zhana Kalinova (Bulgaria), and includes the following titles:

1. “1991”, directed by Linas Ziura (Lithuania, 2023, 12 min., fiction)
2. “A Void”, directed by Jordy Sank (South Africa, 2022, 26 min., fiction)
3. “Știri proaste” (“Bad news”), directed by Liviu Rotaru (Republic of Moldova, 2023, 29 min., fiction)
4. “Fractură” (“Fracture”), directed by Dimana Pastrakova (Bulgaria, 2023, 30 min., fiction)
5. “Hypatia,” directed by Andrei Răuțu (Romania, 2023, 17 min., fiction)
6. “Mama,” directed by Naji Ismail (Egypt, 2022, 20 min., fiction)
7. “Gata” (“Ready”), directed by Eirini Vianelli (Greece, Belgium, 2023, 11 min., animation)
8. “Suruaika,” directed by Vlad Ilicevici, Radu C. Pop (Romania, 2022, 9 min., animation)
9. “Walking Up in Silence,” directed by Mila Zhluktenko, Daniel Asadi Faezi (Ukraine, 2023, 18 min., documentary)
10. “Când zboară MIG-urile” (“When MIGs fly”), directed by Philip Găicean (Romania, 2023, 15 min., fiction)

These films will compete for two awards: The Audience Award and the Jury Award, consisting of pre-tax prizes of 700 and 500 Euro respectively.

The jury for the International Short Film Competition is comprised of three distinguished professionals. Radu Jude is a Romanian director whose films, including “Lampa cu Căciulă”, “Aferim!” and “Babardeală cu Bucluc sau Porno Balamuc” were awarded accolades internationally, including the prestigious Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. Yana Titova is a Bulgarian artists known internationally for her contributions to the arts of the stage and screen. Her directorial debut, “A Dose of Happiness”, was the bestselling Bulgarian movie of 2019, consolidating her status in international cinema. Aly Kassem is an exceptionally talented Egyptian actor, known for his entrancing performances in various projects in television and film, in Egypt and elsewhere.

In addition to the short film screenings, the festival will include two online discussions, which will explore relevant themes such as heritage, artificial intelligence, and mental health within the film industry.

Rounding out the palette of contemporary films, the festival will present an homage to cinema heritage in its classic film section. The audience will have the chance to (re)discover timeless masterpieces, such as animated short films produced by the master Ion Popescu Gopo between 1957 and 1985; “The Living Heroes”, an exploration of resilience and heroism in Lithuanian cinema; the debut film of established cinematographer Stephan Komandarev; the documentary feature “The Man who Drove with Mandela”, awarded at the 1999 Berlinale; the documentary “The Well”, produced by Moldovan cinematographer Vlad Ioviță in 1966. Also, film buffs will have the opportunity of engage with the avantgarde world of Dziga Vertov’s revolutionary documentary “Man with a Movie Camera”, a cinema poem which continues to inspire generations of film directors. The screening is organized in partnership with Film Menu and will be followed by a discussion moderated by Dora leu and Andreea Păiș.

For the latest updates and information, please visit www.FoC-IFF.com.

Partners: Lithuanian Film Centre, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Dovzhenko Centre, Zhovten Cinema, The National Center for Cinematography of the Republic of Moldova, The Academy of Music, Theatre and Visual Arts, UNATC – the I.L. Caragiale National University of Theatrical and Cinema Arts Bucharest, CineEuroConnect: A Collaborative Film Museum & Heritage Film Festival, NATFA – National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Cinema Derida, Blaga Films, Marker Brands, Filmmaker, Club DOREMI/ The Romanian-Hellenic Cultural Association ART and CULTURE in Athens , Zawya Cinema, Neelsie Cinema.

Romania Journal is supporting the event as media partner.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM – BUCHAREST

ONE FESTIVAL, EIGHT COUNTRIES

Access to screening and talks is free.

Sala Cinema, the “I. L. Caragiale” National University of Theatrical and Cinema Arts Bucharest (75-77 Matei Voievod Street)

Wednesday, February 28^th

19:00 – Festival opening, followed by Shorts O’clock I

“Hypatia”, directed by Andrei Răuțu, Romania, 2023, 17 min., fiction

“Mama”, directed by Naji Ismail, Egypt, 2022, 20 min., fiction

“Waking Up in Silence”, directed by Mila Zhluktenko, Daniel Asadi Faezi, Ukraine, 2023, 18 min., documentary

“Bad News”, directed by Liviu Rotaru, Moldova, 2023, 29 min., fiction

“Ready”, directed by Eirini Vianelli, Greece, Belgium, 2023, 11 min., animation

*screening followed by an online Q&A session with the creative teams, projected in the auditorium

Thursday, February 29^th

19:00 Shorts O’Clock II

“Fracture”, directed by Dimana Pastrakova, Bulgaria, 2023, 30 min., fiction

“Suruaika”, directed by Vlad Ilicevici, Radu C. Pop, Romania, 2022, 9 min., animation

“1991”, directed by Linas Ziura, Lithuania, 2023, 12 min., fiction

“When the MIGs fly”, directed by Philip Găicean, Romania, 2023, 15 min., fiction

“A Void”, directed by Jordy Sank, South Africa, 2022, 26 min., fiction

*screening followed by an online Q&A session with the creative teams, projected in the auditorium

Friday, March 1^st

19:00 Classics O’Clock I – “The Living Heroes”, directed by Arunas Zebriunas, Balys Bratkauskas,

Vytautas Zalakevicius, Marijonas Giedrys, Lithuania, 1959, 79 min., fiction

Saturday, March 2^nd

10:00 – 11:00 Online Industry Talk – Exploring the Intersection of Heritage and Artificial Intelligence*

11:30 – 12:30 Online Industry Talk – Mental Health in the Film Industry*

*Talks will be in English. Registrations are open on the festival website, or by writing to creatrixfama@gmail.com.

17:00 Classics O’Clock II – “The Man who Drove with Mandela”, directed by Greta Schiller, South Africa, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Belgium, USA, 1998, 80 min., documentary

19:00 Classics O’Clock III – “Man with a Movie Camera”**, directed by Dziga Vertov, Ukraine, 1929,  64 min., documentary

**screening in partnership with Film Menu, followed by a discussion moderated by Andreea Păiș and Dora Leu

Sunday, March 3^rd

17:00 Classics O’Clock IV – “Dog’s Home”, directed by Stephan Komandarev, Bulgaria, 1999,  76 min., fiction

*screening on the occasion of Bulgaria’s National Day

19:00 Festival closing, followed by

Classics O’Clock V – Gopo Animated Short Films,  directed by Ion Popescu Gopo, Romania, 1957-1985, animation, 77 min.

Classics O’Clock VI  – “The Well”, directed by Vlad Ioviță, Moldova, 1966, 11 min., documentary