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Special Event

Special guests from Romania will be attending selected screenings: Actor and director Horatiu Malaele, screen legend Victor Rebengiuc, veteran director Stere Gulea, charismatic star Andi Vasluianu, and documentary film director Andrei Dascalescu.

Also present in the Festival will be writer and journalist Liviu Antonesei, journalist Carmen Sandulescu from Radio Romania International, and on behalf of the National Centre of Cinematography (CNC) in Bucharest, Eugen Serbanescu, General Director, and Alina Salcudeanu, Manager / Foreign Affairs expert.

All our guests will take part in a special working lunch at the Ratiu Foundation, 18 Fitzhardinge St, London W1H 6EQ, on Saturday 2 May 2009, at 12pm. Subjects to be discussed will include the present state of Romanian cinema and its recent successes, as well as the legacy of previous generations of film directors.

This event is free of charge. Limited number of seats. Register at mail@romanianculturalcentre.org.uk

ALL CHANGE! - CLOSING NIGHT

The sixth edition of the Romanian Film Festival in London will close on Monday 4 May, with the screening of ‘Weekend with my Mother’, the most recent production signed by veteran Romanian director Stere Gulea, starting at 18.30. A Q&A with Stere Gulea and actor Andi Vasluianu will follow.

In order to show our appreciation for you, our gracious audience, after the screening and Q&A, you are all invited for a complimentary glass of Romanian wine in the bar and lobby of the Curzon Mayfair cinema.

As with every year, we expect the Closing Night to be a pretty lively and busy event. To avoid disappointment, please book your tickets in advance on www.curzoncinemas.com or at Box Office 0871 7033 989.

FESTIVAL DESK at the Curzon Mayfair

Starting on the afternoon of Thursday 30 April, until the end of ALL CHANGE! on the evening of 4 May 2009, we are going to maintain an information desk at the Curzon Mayfair cinema. You can pick up brochures and leaflets from there, as well as get information on the Festival’s programme. Your suggestions will be heard and noted down by our volunteers. If you would like to receive further updates on e-mail, please also leave your e-mail address (in case you are not already in our database and received this message through a friend).

PHOTO EXHIBITION – ENTROPY

ENTROPY is a photographic project – and now an exhibition – by Tudor Prisăcariu (see details below). We organised this event in conjunction with our Film Festival for a very good reason: we felt that, although they use different means of expression, they speak to us about very similar issues. Our cinema event shows change as viewed and interpreted by film directors.
Tudor Prisăcariu acts as a visual witness for the tangible and factual changing face of the Romania. Come and visit the exhibition and see for yourselves.

ENTROPY
Tuesday 5 May – Tuesday 30 June 2009
Opening times: Mon - Fri 12.00 - 18.00. Admission free (booking essential)
The Ratiu Foundation / Romanian Cultural Centre
Manchester Square, 18 Fitzhardinge Street, London W1H 6EQ
Tel. 020 7486 0295, ext 108; e-mail: bookings@romanianculturalcentre.org.uk
Further details on: www.romanianculturalcentre.org.uk

Special event:
Friday 1 May 2009 (by invitation only)

RCC Members’ event:
Friday 22 May 2009 (by invitation only)

ENTROPY, noun - Physics - a thermodynamic quantity expressing the unavailability of a system’s thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system. Figurative - lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.” (Oxford Dictionary)

“Romania is currently undergoing a complex transformation process that has a dramatic impact on all aspects of life. Besides the shift in mentalities, the landscape is also being irreversibly transformed. These transformations are most visible in cities and towns, but can also be observed in rural areas and in natural habitats. As a result, I believe that there was a need to impartially document the current Romanian landscape in its totality. This is critical both from a historical point of view and also for gaining a better understanding of the complexity of the transformation process itself.

Entropy is my attempt to better understand contemporary Romania. The project also acts as an alternative to similar state-run or independent initiatives, which present an old and idyllic version of the reality that Romanians currently live in. “
Tudor Prisăcariu

The project has a dedicated website, www.entropy.ro, which, until now, contains images from over 40 locations.

Entropy was made possible through a Ratiu Foundation grant (www.ratiufamilyfoundation.com).

Internship opportunity

With the occasion of ALL CHANGE!, the sixth edition of the Romanian Film Festival in London, the Ratiu Foundation / Romanian Cultural Centre are looking for motivated people to join the Festival's team as interns / volunteers.

This is a position requiring a hands-on approach, working behind the scenes for the smooth running of the most important Romanian cultural event of the year in the UK.

You will have the chance to work in a challenging environment alongside a small and dedicated team of professionals in the field of cinema, cultural promotion and event organising. You will meet some of the biggest names in Romanian cinema, as well as a host of film professionals and journalists from the UK.

The entire activity will be carried out on a voluntary work basis. Some of the duties will include leaflet distribution, welcoming guests, assisting with the special events, etc.

The rewards of an intern / volunteer post with the Romanian Film Festival are:

Access to the Festival films and events
A very good learning experience
A working environment with lots of colleagues who are into films
Work experience within the cultural promotion / event organising domain
Strong CV material
Festival volunteers are listed by name on the Festival’s website in recognition of their dedication and service
Invitation to the private Opening Party for all our staff

Due to the nature of the work to be done, good knowledge of English is essential. Romanian comes as a bonus. Good organising skills, ability to work with people and to tight deadlines, as well as friendliness are a must. A love of cinema - and Romanian cinema especially - is necessary.

To apply, send us a cover letter accompanied by an up-to-date CV on mail@ratiufamilyfoundation.com