Romanian film review: Nature, Detox, and French cinema: Currently showing online & offline

Romania Salbatică/Wild Romania was a major success last year, a spectacular nature documentary that filled open-airs and theatres. It is still sporadically running in selected cinemas (at least in Bucharest).

The making-of (Povestea România Sălbatică: filmul filmului) is currently available on the online platform TIFF Unlimited, and can also be streamed worldwide. The behind-the-scenes are fascinating; I remember watching the original documentary and wondering constantly how certain moments got captured. The video is also available from outside of Romania. For even more background on the project and its spectacular settings and wildlife, you can also read our interview with the filmmakers here.

TIFF Unlimited hosts a solid collection of international titles as well, available only from Romania, however. The ones that can be watched from other territories are fewer, but also for free, and very much worth your time.

If you prefer a physical alternative to your VoD, then do not miss MyFrenchFilmFestival, an online project where you can book tickets and watch French-language productions from home (the delightful comedy All Hands on Deck is my favourite), but you can also check out which title from its selection is screening when at cinema Elvire Popescu in Bucharest. The theatre features one or two titles per week (until mid-February). This Thursday, for example, they are showing Philippe Béziat’s Galant Indies, a fabulous documentary/ stage remix of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s eponymous opera from 1735.

Cineplexes are also showing Vali Dobrogeanu‘s Tabăra/Camp, starring Andrei Șelaru, also known as Selly, a highly successful 20-year old musician and vlogger, and his band 5Gang. Aimed at a young audience, and focusing on a youth camp for technological detox, it is not subtle in any way, but if you enjoyed the team's previous effort, the blockbuster