Director Cristian Mungiu said on Sunday, May 24, that “Fjord”, awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, is a brave film and that the award will help it reach a wider audience. He hopes that the film will also have an important Oscar campaign and criticizes the lack of support from the Romanian state for cinematography.
“I won the Palme d’Or almost 20 years ago, and since then I’ve returned every time with all the other films to Cannes. Of course, every time you return with the idea that you really want it to be appreciated. But you know there’s also a context, that is, you can’t propose to get the Palme d’Or, you can’t be sure. It depends on who’s on the jury, it depends on how the other films are.
We’re very glad it turned out the way it did, because it’s a film that takes a certain kind of courage both to make it and to receive it. And then this Palme d’Or will help a lot for the film to have a life in the world, to have the necessary curiosity to be discovered”, the director told journalists after landing at Otopeni Airport.
Cristian Mungiu says that the second Palme d’Or has less pressure than the first, because he no longer feels the need for a new validation as a director.
He states that the award can help the film reach a wider audience and hopes that the film will enter the race for the Oscar, not because it would be a more important award, but because in Romania the Oscars are perceived as more relevant than the Palme d’Or.
“It’s a bit embarrassing that, 20 years after winning the first Palme d’Or, we still don’t have a premiere theater to show this film”
He stated that he expects the Romanian state to “try to give a little more back to culture and cinema.”
“If we managed to get a Palme d’Or once again, it does not belong only to me, but to Romanian cinema. I have some expectations, but they are not only related to my film.
I have the request and demand that the Romanian state try to give a little more back to culture and cinema, because we have done our part. It’s a bit embarrassing that, 20 years after we won the first Palme d’Or, we’re coming back now and we still don’t have a premiere theater to present this film in Bucharest.
We cannot do something there alone. We need the state to do its job. For years there has been that law and the Lottery tax, but that money is not paid and the state does nothing.
That is my claim: that the state apply its own law. Because when the Lottery fund would contribute to the CNC fund (no National Cinematography Center), which is legal, we would no longer have financing problems. For the rest, medals and statements I already have a suitcase from last time. I’m fine, thanks.”
The director told how the Palme d’Or trophy went through airport security and how a French employee, who didn’t know what the award was, curiously checked it after seeing it on the scanner.
“It was funny the first time, and now. 20 years ago… (…) It went through the scanner and the person checking it looked at it very interested. When she saw that object, she was a little surprised.
The director told how the Palme d’Or trophy went through airport security and how a French employee, who didn’t know what the award was, curiously checked it after seeing it on the scanner. “It was funny the first time, and now. 20 years ago… (…) It went through the scanner and the person checking it looked at it very interested. When she saw that object, she was a little surprised.I think I ran into the only Frenchman in France who didn’t know what a Palme d’Or was. He asked me what it was. I told him it was a Palme d’Or. He took it out, looked at it and left with the object in hand. I said maybe it’s dangerous. In the end it was all good. I hope he is not considered more dangerous in Romania.”
Cristian Mungiu wins the big Palme d’Or trophy at the Cannes Film Festival with the film “Fjord”
Cristian Mungiu states that his film speaks of involvement through deeds, not through words, and believes that the Palme d’Or award does not belong only to him, but to all those who enjoyed the success of the film and Romanian cinema.
“First of all, I want people to come and see the film, because things are not so obvious. My films are seen much more in other countries than in Romania, and this is not a good sign for us. I want people to leave the room and form their own opinion.
If there’s one thing I wish for, it’s that the viewer doesn’t leave with exactly the same opinion they entered with, and doesn’t project their own prejudices onto the situation.
It’s a film that tries to stimulate the critical spirit, the idea that you have to make decisions based on your own judgment, not just based on intuitions, sympathies or things seen on social media. If people think for themselves, we will all be better off.”
He says the film’s wide release could be delayed because of the Oscar campaign coordinated with the American distributor. The director says the film is already eligible for the Oscars and that international promotion could continue until next year.
“We worked with two Hollywood stars on budgets we could afford”
He also conveyed that Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve agreed to act in the film on low budgets, and without their support the project would not have been possible.
“First of all, Sebastian is patriotic in his own way. We worked with two Hollywood stars on budgets we could afford. Without their generosity, we couldn’t have made the film.
In addition, they both came to the set exactly as a Romanian actor would, without figures, without special claims.
Maybe we should think about that too. I am in touch with a lot of actors who would like to act in our films, but we are responsible for what we do and we don’t want to work with big actors just for the sake of working with them.
I waited years to work with Sebastian until I found the right role. I hope I can continue to work with great actors, known all over the world, but the film must also have something important to say.”
Last but not least, Cristian Mungiu stated that the film is fictional, inspired by several real cases, including the Bodnariu case, but that he avoided making a sensationalist film.
“No decorations and snoring messages”. Director Tudor Giurgiu asks the government, after the success at Cannes, “a decent budget for the Oscar campaign”
The director states that the film explores the conflict between ultra-conservatism and ultra-liberalism and conveys a call for balance and empathy, criticizing forms of ideological radicalism.
Mungiu also spoke about Sebastian Stan, saying that the actor wanted to reconnect with Romania through this project and that he felt very well received by both the film team and the Romanians he met at the Cannes Film Festival.
The director added that the notoriety of Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve increased interest and expectations for the film.
Cristian Mungiu won the big Palme d’Or trophy
Cristian Mungiu won the big trophy with the film “Fjord”, a drama inspired by a real case, which provoked strong reactions both among the public and international critics. It is the second Palme d’Or in the career of the Romanian director, after the success achieved in 2007 with the film “4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days”.
The director received four trophies for “Fjord”: the François Chalais Prize, the Citizenship Award, the Ecumenical Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize (International Critics’ Prize).
