The programme for The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival was announced today, 10 September, by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron. The Festival, which will take place from 15 to 30 October 2008, includes a record number of world and international premieres with a total of 189 features and 108 shorts screening alongside a stellar line-up of special events and guests.
Among the UK premieres, The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival presents ‘Hooked’ (Pescuit sportiv), the debut feature film of young Romanian director Adrian Sitaru.
Following the happy collaboration in 2007 with the prestigious Times BFI 51st London Film Festival, which brought a special Romanian treat of 5 Guests, 3 Films, and 1 Panel Discussion, the Ratiu Foundation / Romanian Cultural Centre in London have the pleasure to announce this new film delicacy to grace the UK’s silver screens.
Hooked (Pescuit sportiv)
Feature film / Romania-France / 2008 /colour / 80min / Romanian with English subtitles
Directed and Written by Adrian Sitaru. With Maria Dinulescu, Ioana Flora, Adrian Titieni
In Romania 5 lei will buy you a beer or a woman. Putting both together can lead to trouble. To escape prying eyes, Mihai and his married lover, Miha set off on a fishing trip and picnic in remote woods. Already under pressure, Miha hits and kills street prostitute, Ana, with her car. She is terrified of their affair being discovered so persuades Mihai to hide the body.
Miraculously, Ana comes round and the couple tell her that she fainted so they stopped to help; but how much does Ana really know, and what does she want to gain from the situation?
As the characters play games with each other, circling and probing each other’s emotional weak points, so the camera continually shifts perspective. We are never quite sure who is telling the truth, and who is manipulating who. Is Ana what she seems to be; why is she also called Violeta? Why is she trying to provoke a split between Mihai and Miha? Is it revenge, or are her motives more sinister? From a chance accident, Hooked creates a raw and tense drama of vulnerable and desperate people, forced to cross moral boundaries just to survive. (Helen de Witt)
Until ‘Hooked’, Adrian Sitaru directed an array of short films. The latest of these – ‘Waves’ (2007) – received wide international recognition, among the prizes being the Best Short Film Award at Dresden, the Romanian ‘Gopo’ Award for Best Short Film, and the SSR Prize in the Locarno Film Festival. Adrian also directed for TV, and acted as Assistant Director on Costa Gavras’ ‘Amen’ (2002).
Showing on Saturday 18 October 2008 at 21.00, and Tuesday 21 October 2008 at 16.00
BFI Southbank, NFT2, South Bank, London SE1 8XT; Box Office: 020 7928 3232. www.bfi.org.uk. Booking opens on 27 September. BFI members booking opens on 18 September, and 24 September for online bookings.
The Ratiu Foundation / Romanian Cultural Centre in London have supported Romanian film wholeheartedly for the past six years through the Romanian Film Club and the five editions of the Film Festival at Curzon Mayfair. The festival was an active tool in showcasing a variety of Romanian films: features, shorts and documentaries. Among these, ‘The Death of Mr Lazarescu’ (director Cristi Puiu) opened the 2006 Festival, ‘12:08 East of Bucharest’ (director Corneliu Porumboiu) opened the 2007 edition, and ‘California Dreamin’ (Endless)’ of the late Cristian Nemescu was the opening feature of the 2008 edition.
Besides this, the RF / RCC have worked with film distributors Artificial Eye, Tartan, and Peccadillo Pictures on the launches of “The Death of Mr Lazarescu”, “12:08 East of Bucharest”, Tony Gatlif’s “Transylvania”, and “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”. We also supported the EastEnd Film Festival, the Gypsy Film Festival in London, New Europe Film Festival 2008 Edinburgh.
Through the STEPdoc programme, the Ratiu Foundation encourages the production of new Romanian documentary films supporting young film-makers to immerse in the UK film scene, create connections and partnerships, and develop new projects.
More details on www.romanianculturalcentre.org.uk and www.ratiufamilyfoundation.com .
