The New Year That Never Came" (Anul Nou care n-a fost) is a 2024 Romanian historical tragicomedy directed by Bogdan Mureșanu, marking his feature directorial debut. The film expands upon Mureșanu's acclaimed 2018 short, "The Christmas Gift," and delves into the lives of six individuals on December 20, 1989, as they navigate personal and political upheavals leading up to the Romanian Revolution and the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime.
Themes:
Intersection of Personal and Political Struggles: The narrative intertwines individual lives with the broader socio-political turmoil of 1989 Romania.
Quest for Normality and Freedom: Characters seek normalcy, safety, love, and meaning amidst an absurd world fueled by fear.
Tragicomedy of Oppression: The film balances humor and tragedy to depict life under a repressive regime.
Awards, and Nominations:
Venice Film Festival 2024:
Orizzonti Award for Best Film – Won
FIPRESCI Prize – Won
Cairo International Film Festival 2024:
Golden Pyramid – Won
European Film Awards 2024:
European Discovery – Nominated
International Film Festival of India 2024:
Best Film – Nominated
Best Director (Bogdan Mureșanu) – Won
Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival 2024:
Best Film – Nominated
Molodist International Film Festival 2024:
Scythian Deer – Nominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2024:
New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize – Nominated
São Paulo International Film Festival 2024:
Best Fiction – Nominated
Zurich Film Festival 2024:
Best International Feature Film – Nominated
Critical Reception:
Cineuropa: Described the film as "a powerful example of how cinema can become a time machine that teleports us to a certain era, bringing us back to safety just as the issues of that period seep into our very soul."
Screen Daily: Noted that "a near 20-minute final sequence, set to Ravel's Bolero, builds to an explosive crescendo, seamlessly blending archive footage into the action and capturing the exhilarating impact of history in the making."
Box Office Performance:
Upon its Romanian release on September 24, 2024, the film topped the box office with over 20,000 admissions in its opening weekend.
Production Details:
Production Companies: Kinotopia, All Inclusive Films, TVR
Distribution:
France: Memento Distribution acquired the rights following the film's Venice premiere.
Netherlands: Imagine Filmdistributie Nederland
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33030375/
Link Review: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/466426/
About movie: https://www.memento.eu/the-new-year-that-never-came/
Link to watch: https://picl.nl/films/the-new-year-that-never-came/ (Netherlands)
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