I don’t know about you guys, but October invites me to stay at home, with a large cup of tea in my hands and a good book or movie. The chair has never been more comfortable and the daily tasks have never seemed so far away from me. Although we could just stay in, laying around, I do recommend you to enjoy a film from time to time, especially on this weekend, when Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest is still on. Just one more thing – I liked Xavier Dolan’s latest film, Matthias et Maxime, so I recommend you watch it. For the other recommendations, I invite you to scroll below:

TO BE WATCHED IN CINEMAS:

– Being Romanian – A Family Journal (dir. Serban Georgescu; documentary) – A film about how language, nationality, religion, local cuisine, sports, politics, war, agriculture, construction sites, traditions, music or fashion have influenced and shaped our family. A journey through space and time, where family bridges the gap between every moment that has united us or torn us apart since the Great Union until today.

The film can be watched in premiere on Friday and Saturday at the Union Cinema.

– 5 Minutes Too Late (dir. Dan Chișu; drama) – A controversial film is on in a cinema in Bucharest, about a two women couple. Shortly after the beginning of the screening, a few viewers stood up and started protesting against the LGBT community, while a few members of this community were present. The press accused the gendarmerie for not having intervened in order to stop the conflict which escalated and a young man got hurt and ended up in hospital. The film focuses on the story of the man who led the gendarmes crew in that action.

The film can be watched on Friday, October 25th, at the Peasant Museum Cinema, starting at 8:00 pm.

– Matthias et Maxime (dir. Xavier Dolan; drama) – After the Jury Prize for Mommy and the Grand Prix for It’s Only the End of the World, Xavier Dolan returned at Cannes in the official competition with an intense and delicate drama that explores themes such as friendship and personal identity. And not any drama, but a drama that must be watched at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest 2019.

Matthias et Maxime screens on Friday, October 25th, and on Saturday, October 26th, at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest 10. Tickets here.

– Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho; thriller) – All unemployed, Ki-taek family takes a peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks. One day, their son manages to receive a referral to teach private English lessons at the Park family home. Once at their villa, he is greeted by the beautiful lady of the house. It is just the beginning of a series of events that cannot be controlled, after which no one will remain unpunished.

Parasite can also be watched at Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest 10, on Saturday and Sunday.

FEELING LAZY? HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN WATCH AT HOME:

– Planet Petrila (dir. Andrei Dascalescu; documentary) – In Petrila, a coal mining town in Transylvania, an ex-miner turned artist and activist uses art and absurdity to stop local authorities from demolishing the historic buildings of the oldest coal mine in the country. His quest is not only to preserve the history and the identity of his hometown, but also to find new ways of keeping the community from irreversibly falling apart.

The movie airs on TV on Friday, October 25th, on HBO 2, at 12:15 pm.

– Several Conversations About A Very Tall Girl (dir. Bogdan Theodor Olteanu; drama, romantic) – An ex-lover in common, a photo album, some online conversations, a coffee together, a visit. Two girls are putting together the beginning of a love affair. But as they grow closer, they need to face the things that pull them apart.

If you want to know more about this film, I recommend the Films in Frame interview with Florentina & Silvana.

The movie can be watched on Saturday on Cinemax 2 at 3:30 pm.

– Frankenweenie (dir. Tim Burton; animation) – Frankeweenie tells the story of Viktor Frankenstein, a kid who likes making monster movies with the help of his faithful Bull Terrier, Sparky. But Sparky gets hit by a car and Viktor loses his main star. Inspired by a lesson from school (about electrical impulses in muscles, of course), Viktor promises to bring his friend back to life. After creating elaborate machinery and using the power of a lightning bolt, the boy manages to resurrect the dog. But, now, the new Sparky begins to scare the neighbors.

Frankenweenie can be watched on Saturday (6:45 pm) and Sunday (9:10 am) on HBO.

Romina Banu

Photographer and editor; she co-founded Dissolved Magazine together with Melissa. For Films in Frame she gathers film and TV series recommendations for lazy weekends and she writes about interesting projects from the film industry. Other than that, she likes traveling, chilling with her cats and sleeping.