The Romanian feature film “If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle” by Romanian director Florin Serban is Romania’s proposal for the 2011 Academy Awards in the best foreign language film section. (trailer below)

Family Frost, a vending vans retail company which had entered the local market in 2008, announced its exit from Romania due to lower than expected sales, according to Romanian newspaper Ziarul Financiar, quoting company representatives.

The Romanian technical consumer goods market has slowed down its decrease in the second quarter of the year, with sales only 15 percent lower compared to the same period of last year, found a monitoring by GfK. However, the value of this market segment was slightly lower compared to the first quarter and the negative tendency could continue, if we take into account the VAT increase from July 1st.

Romanian Railways (CFR) Calatori employees will enter a period of 60 days of technical unemployment, a period during which they will receive 75 percent of their basic salary, the company has announced. The measure will be applied to all of CFR Calatori's employees, 15,000 people, including management, who will take turns in staying at home for 60 days until the end of the year.

The Romanian Ministry of Public Finances will organize a bid for discounted treasury certificates on Monday, with an estimated value of RON 800 million (around EUR 188 million). The ministry is planning to organize bids and raise as much as RON 4.6 billion (around EUR 1 billion) in August, through seven treasury and bonds issuances.

Car traffic has been closed down on Pipera street, between Calea Floreasca and Barbu Vacarescu St, as works have started on the Pipera – Barbu Vacarescu passage. The traffic shutdown, which started on August 12, will be enforced until October 10.

The Polish film which has won the Anonimul Film Festival trophy, 'Zero', by Pawel Borowski, will be screened at the Romanian Peasant's Museum between August 17 and 22 in Bucharest. The festival's retrospective will include all the films which were awarded during the festival.

Drug producer Terapia Ranbaxy grew its sales by 21 percent in the first half of the year in Romania, to USD 48 million, according to the company's most recent financial report. The company was helped by the restructuring process and by rationalization, which counterbalanced the negative market conditions, according to the company.

Banks are increasing loan prices instead of making them cheaper – in Ziarul Financiar, Govt prepares new changes to Labor Code – in Ziarul Financiar, Family Frost fails in Romania – EUR 10 mln lost on stores on wheels – in Ziarul Financiar, RBS reduces local exposure to EUR 292 million – in Ziarul Financiar

Terapia Ranbaxy sales increase by 21 percent in first half of the year – in Ziarul Financiar

Polish film 'Zero', directed by Pawel Borowski, has won the Anonimul Independent Film festival trophy, during a premiere evening which took place on August 14 in Sfantu Gheorghe, the Danube Delta. Zero is the story of 24 hours in the lives of a couple of characters who life stories intersect.

International Chamber Music Festival SoNoRo will take place between October 31st and November 14 in Bucharest, Iasi and Cluj – Napoca, with this year's edition organized under the 'Masked Ball' motif. The festival will gather over 30 international artists, who will perform in 14 concerts.

Calendar of events, August 16-19, Bucharest, Romania