Timetable

Crai nou

Blue Moon

Alina Grigore

RO
2021
Feature Film
85’
OmeU, dt. UT
International Debut Feature Film Competition

A small room. A young woman asleep in bed. She’s rudely awoken by her sister, other people enter. There’s no privacy, everyone is shouting. The tension, unpredictability and latent aggression that define the atmosphere of #Blue Moon# are immediately palpable. In her powerful feature-length debut, actor and screenwriter Alina Grigore follows 20-something Irina as she struggles to escape the confines of outdated patriarchal structures.

Her family runs an attractive hotel resort in a stunning mountain location. Other obscure business activities keep the brood busy, and Irina and her sister are relied upon to help out. Their father disappeared off to London years ago, now they await his visit. The young women are desperate to leave. Irina wants to go to Bucharest to study – or, more likely, to escape the mayhem and noise of this deeply dysfunctional home. She thinks an affair with a married artist might help her escape. But her uncle, cousin, the entire clan don’t want to let her go.
The sound design and visuals of this sociogram about powerlessness and impotence, post-communist trauma, control and (sexual) violence creep into our every pore. The restless camera, always honing in on the characters, dips and turns; we hear thumps and hammering sounds. Set against this contrastingly beautiful landscape, we witness Irina’s subtle transformation from victim to perpetrator.


Awards for Crai nou
Best Film – San Sebastian International Film Festival 2021


Guest: Ioana Chitu

This film has been nominated for the Audience Award endowed with 1,000 euro. Please vote after watching the movie.
You can find an overview of all nominated films here.

Director / Script

Alina Grigore

Cinematography

Adrian Paduretu

Editor

Mircea Olteanu, Costi Zaharia

Sound

loan Filip

Music

Subcarpați

Cast

Ioana Chițu, Mircea Postelnicu, Mircea Silaghi, Vlad Ivanov, Emil Măndănac, Ilinca Neacșu, Ioana Flora, Robi Urs, Mihaela Perianu

Production

Gabi Suciu, Robi Urs, InLight Films

Co-production

Adrian Păduretu, Cristina Săvuică, Mike Săvuică, Vlad Rädulescu, loan Filip, Atelier de Film, Forest Film Production, Unfortunate Thespians, Avanpost, Smart Sound Studios

Contact

Patra Spanou Film

Portrait of director Alina Grigore

Alina Grigore

Alina Grigore was born in Bucharest in 1984. She studied acting and directing at the National University of Theatre and Film »I.L. Caragiale« (UANTC) in Bucharest. Her films as an actor include titles such as Aurora by Cristi Puiu; Best Intentions and Illegitimate, both by Adrian Sitaru. For the latter, she also wrote the screenplay, and she has co-authored several TV series in Romania. Grigore has directed four short films, and pre-production is currently underway on her second feature film Some Irrelevant Stories about Moms (working title), starring Oscar®-winning actor Melissa Leo.


Films by Alina Grigore
River-Bet 2017 | Triptic 2016 | Scufita Rosie 2015 | Domino 2015