Romanian cinema will also be represented at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival - Berlinale, with two feature films selected for major sections of the event: Forum and Generation. This year’s edition runs from February 12 to 22.

De capul nostru/On Our Own, the latest fiction feature by director Tudor Cristian Jurgiu, has been selected for the Berlinale’s Forum section, where it will have its world premiere during the festival. This category is dedicated to contemporary auteur cinema and films noted for innovative narrative and aesthetic approaches, often tackling pressing social issues, according to the press release. 

De capul nostru follows a group of teenagers growing up in a small Romanian town while their parents work abroad, exploring themes of early maturity, emotional isolation, and the search for belonging among young people left without adult support.

“There are around 150,000 children in Romania whose parents work abroad, a phenomenon that generates deep emotional trauma and fragile family relationships. That is where my interest in this story began,” Jurgiu said.

The film stars Denisa Vraja, Vlad Furtună, Mara Diaconu Ducica, Sofia Vasiliu, Dominique Toma, Steliana Bălăcianu, and Robert Radoveneanu. It will be released in Romanian cinemas in 2026.

In a separate selection, Atlasul universului/The Atlas of the Universe, directed by Paul Negoescu, has become the first Romanian film chosen for the Berlinale Generation competition, dedicated to young audiences, according to the official announcement. The feature will premiere in the Generation Kplus section, which focuses on stories about childhood, coming of age, and young people’s inner worlds.

The film tells the story of a ten-year-old boy who sets off on a journey to find a missing shoe after accidentally buying two right-foot shoes, in a sensitive adventure about courage, friendship, and self-discovery. 

The lead role is played by 11-year-old Matei Donciu, in his first film appearance, alongside actors Marin Grigore, Andreea Grămoșteanu, and Andrei Mateiu.

The Berlin International Film Festival is one of the world’s most important film events, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences from more than 100 countries each year.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Denis Makarenko/Dreamstime.com)