Romanian Berlin Film Fest winner hits box office record in first weekend on release in home country

The Berlinale- awarded Romanian film Child's Pose had record audiences in local cinemas after the first weekend of screenings, with over 19,000 Romanians having watched the film that snatched the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film festival earlier this year. The film came second in the local box office after last weekend, only exceeded by Oz: The Great and Powerful. But Child's Pose managed to set records for audiences and box office takings for a first weekend among local films in the last 20 years in Romania.

The audience exceeded that of other successful Romanian movies: 14,000 viewers for Lie to Me Beautifully after the first weekend, and Of Snails and Men, also around 14,000 after the first weekend. The jury's favorite at the Berlin Film festival in February also had the biggest box office gains after the first weekend. Child's Pose made around EUR 60,000 after the first weekend, which is a record for a Romanian film. This is however a far cry from the box office gains and the audiences of foreign films screened in Romania. For comparison, the film ranking first after last weekend, Oz: The Great and Powerful, had 36,600 viewers and made some EUR 172,000. Child's Pose launched on Romanian screens on March 8, and this week it will continue its special screenings across the country, with Bacau scheduled for Wednesday screenings at 19:00 at the Cinema City in Arena mall, then Iasi on Thursday evening in Iulius Mall and Pitesti on Friday at the Euromall Pitesti. Directed by Călin Peter Netzer, Child's Pose was the first ever Romanian film to win the Golden Bear for best film at the Berlinale. The film has also recently secured distribution deals for countries around the world. Poziţia copilului/Child's Pose stars veteran Romanian actress Luminița Gheorghiu as an overbearing and overprotective mother. Read more on the award winning Poziţia copilului/Child's Pose from Romania Insider: Romanian film review: Mommy’s dearest – Child’s Pose Romanian Child’s Pose snatches Golden Bear at Berlin Film festival