The Association for Romanian Film Promotion has announced the nominations for
Gopo Awards 2012, the equivalent of the French Cesars or Spanish Goya Awards. Supported by the National Centre of Cinematography, this annual event is meant to reward the best Romanian contemporary filmmakers, as well as to pay a tribute to domestic film industry legends.
The nominees of the 2012 Gopo Awards, Romania’s most important cinema awards, were announced on February 21, by Romanian actors Paul Ipate and Ioana Blaj, during a press conference held in Bucharest.
Five feature films have entered the competition for
Best Film Award, the most important trophee of the Romanian cinema:
Aurora (d Cristi Puiu, Romania-France-Switzerland-Germany),
Crulic – The Path To Beyond (d. Anca Damian, Romania – Poland),
From Love With Best Intentions (d. Adrian Sitaru, Romania – Hungary),
Loverboy (Romania – Serbia – France – Switzerland) and
Outbound (d. Bogdan George Apetri, Romania-Austria).
Cristi Puiu,
Adrian Sitaru, Bogdan George Apetri and
Cătălin Mitulescu are also in for
Best Director Award.
The Award for
Best Actor in a Leading Role, won in 2011 by the outstanding Victor Rebengiuc (Medal of Honour) goes in 2012 to one of the following leading actors:
Bogdan Dumitrache–
From Love With Best Intentions,
Cristi Puiu-
Aurora,
Vlad Ivanov-
Principles of Life.
Ada Condeescu, (Loverboy),
Ana Ularu (Outbound) and
Nataşa Raab (From Love With Best Intentions) have each received a nod for
Best Actress in a Leading Role.14 feature films stand at least a chance for a Gopo trophee this year. The four films competing for
Best Director Award are also the ones who have earned the highest number of nominations:
Outbound has received 12 nominations, Aurora -10, Loverboy – 9, and From Love With Best Intentions– 8. Hello! How are you? (d. Alexandru Maftei), If the Seed Doesn’t Die (d. Sinisa Dragin) have each earned nominations at 5 categories. Something good out of life (d. Dan Piţa), Crulic – The Path To Beyond (d. Anca Damian) and Metrobranding (d . Ana Vlad, Adi Voicu) –have each received 3 nominations.
Principles of Life, the second feature film of director Constantin Popescu is nominated both for the interpretation of Vlad Ivanov and also for the script, signed by
Răzvan Rădulescu and
Alexandru Baciu.
Films nominated at a single category include
The Belly of the Whale (d.Ana Lungu, Ana Szel) for Best Debut,
Red Gloves (d. Radu Gabrea), for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Udo Schenk); Icar’s Childhood (d. Alexandru Iordachescu) and Tanti (d. Serban Marinescu) for Best Original Music.
The Gopo Audience Award, won by the local box office hit of the year, goes to
The Godmother (d. Jesus del Cerro, Virgil Nicolaescu), distributed by MediaPro Distribution.
Metrobranding (d. Ana Vlad, Adi Voicu),
After the Revolution (d. Laurențiu Calciu), Teodora Sinner (d. Anca Hirte),
Our School (d. Mona Nicoară, Miruna Coca-Cozma),
Visiting room (d. Radu Muntean, Alexandru Baciu) are the titles competing for
Best Documentary Award.
Silent River (d. Anca Miruna Lăzărescu), A film for friends (d. Radu Jude), Hello Kitty (d. Millo Simulov), The Japanese Quince Tree (d. Mara Trifu) and Stremț ΄89 (d. Dragoș Dulea, Anda Pușcaș) are in the run for Best Short Film Award.
Anca Miruna Lăzărescu (Silent River), Luiza Pârvu (Draft 7), Sarra Tsorakidis (1000 de lucruri în comun), Millo Simulov (Hello Kitty), and Corneliu Ulici (Something good out of life, Hello Kitty) are nominated for Young Hope Award.
Matthieu Amalric’s Tournee, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, Pedro Almodovar’ s La Piel que Habito, Mike Leigh’s Another Year, Michelangelo Frammartino’ s Le Quatro Volteare competing for this year΄s Gopo awarded to the Best European Film presented in Romanian cinemas in 2011.
Following the nominations΄ announcement, over 400 Romanian film industry professionals will cast their votes to decide who gets the golden statuettes depicting the cult character of legend animation director Ion Popescu-Gopo, the first Romanian Palme d΄Or winner (A Short History, 1956). The voting system will be handled entirely by PricewaterhouseCoopers Romania, according to a 5-year agreement signed earlier this year.
Gopo Awards will be broadcasted by ProCinema and it will also be available online on the Awards΄ official website, www.premiilegopo.ro.
