Romanian cinema: 2025 Gopo Awards Gala set for April, 38 feature films in the race for nominations

The 19th Gopo Awards Gala, celebrating the achievements of Romanian cinema, will take place on April 29 in Bucharest, according to an announcement by the Romanian Film Promotion Association. A total of 38 feature films, including fiction and documentaries released in 2024, have met the eligibility criteria and are now in the running for nominations.

The organizers have also opened submissions for the Best Documentary and Best Short Film categories, with the deadline set for February 7, 2025.

The nominations, determined by an 11-member jury of film industry professionals, will be announced in March.

The list of contenders includes The New Year That Never Came, directed by Bogdan Mureșanu, which won accolades at Venice's Orizzonti section and other prestigious festivals, including Cairo and Palm Springs. Emanuel Pârvu's Three Kilometers to the End of the World, awarded the Queer Palm at Cannes and Romania's submission for the Best International Feature Film Oscar, is also eligible.

Other highlights include Andrei Cohn's Holy Week, inspired by I.L. Caragiale's work, and Nasty, a documentary on tennis legend Ilie Năstase directed by Tudor Giurgiu and others, which had a special screening at Cannes. The list also features Where the Elephants Go by Gabi Virginia Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru, as well as the final movie of Stere Gulea's trilogy, Moromeții 3.

Further details, including the list of eligible films and submission guidelines, are available on the official website.

Tudor Giurgiu’s Libertate/Freedom was the big winner of the 2024 Gopo Awards.

(Photo source: the organisers; by Miluta Flueras)