30/04/2024 - For the first time in the almost 20-year history of the gala, two films ended up tying for the Best Screenplay Award

Freedom director Tudor Giurgiu, actress Victoria Cociaş, Romanian Minister of Culture Raluca Turcan, producer Oana Bujgoi Giurgiu, actor Alex Calangiu and DoP Alex Sterian posing with the Best Film Award

Although some might say that Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Radu Jude
film profile] was the most influential and well-travelled Romanian film of 2023, Tudor Giurgiu’s Freedom [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tudor Giurgiu & Cecilia Ste…
film profile] completely dominated the 18th edition of the Gopos, the awards gala where more than 800 film professionals and journalists choose their favourite domestic productions released the previous year.

In a country where insufficient funding makes directors avoid stories set in the past, there are very few features that dare to explore (and exorcise) Romania’s difficult history, which might explain why Freedom took home as many as ten awards (out of its 14 nods), including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Lead Actor (for Alex Calangiu).

Nominated in 11 categories, Jude’s film took home two awards, for Best Screenplay (tied with Freedom) and Best Lead Actress (Ilinca Manolache). Nominated in 13 categories, Mihai Mincan’s To the North [+see also:
film review
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interview: Mihai Mincan
film profile] won the gongs for Best First Feature and Best Cinematography, with a Best New Hope Award going to young actor Niko Becker.

As many as 107 titles released in 2023 in cinemas and on streaming platforms were considered by a jury before the nominations were announced. As always, an Audience Award went to the most popular domestic release of last year: Jesús del Cerro’s Miami Bici 2, which ended its run in local cinemas with a total of almost 570,000 admissions.

Here is the complete list of award winners:

Best Film
Freedom [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tudor Giurgiu & Cecilia Ste…
film profile] - Tudor Giurgiu (Romania/Hungary)

Best Director
Tudor Giurgiu – Freedom

Best Screenplay (ex aequo)
Cecilia Ştefănescu, Tudor Giurgiu – Freedom
Radu Jude – Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Radu Jude
film profile] (Romania/Luxembourg/France/Croatia)

Best Lead Actor
Alex Calangiu - Freedom

Best Lead Actress
Ilinca Manolache - Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World

Best Supporting Actress
Maria Popistaşu – Taximetristi

Best Supporting Actor
Iulian Postelnicu - Freedom

Best Cinematography
George Chiper-Lillemark - To the North [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mihai Mincan
film profile] (Romania/France/Greece/Bulgaria/Czech Republic)

Best Editing
Réka Lemhényi - Freedom

Best Sound
Tamás Székely, André Rigaut - Freedom

Best Score
Marius Leftărache - Boss [+see also:
film review
film profile] (Romania/Luxembourg/Sweden)

Best Production Design
Vali Ighigheanu - Freedom

Best Costumes
Viorica Petrovici - Freedom

Best Make-up and Hairstyling
Petya Simeonova, Domnica Bodogan - Freedom

Best First Feature
To the North - Mihai Mincan

Best Documentary
Between Revolutions [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Vlad Petri
film profile] - Vlad Petri (Romania/Croatia/Qatar/Iran)

Best European Film
Anatomy of a Fall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Justine Triet
film profile] - Justine Triet (France)

Best New Hope
Niko Becker - actor (To the North)

Best Short Film
The Place Boats Don't Reach - Vlad Buzăianu (short)

Audience Award
Miami Bici 2 - Jesús del Cerro