FilmFestival Cottbus, one of the most important forums for Eastern European cinema, will take place this year between November 8-13.

“FilmFestival Cottbus is known for not excluding any genre and so we are proud of the diversity on our screens. From contemplative experimental cinema to socially critical arthouse films to light summer comedies, from medieval action to environmental drama, from silhouette films to FullDome,” is how program director Bernd Buder describes this year’s program selection.

The festival hosts 219 films from Central and Eastern Europe, presented in four competitive and seven out-of-competition sections. The Spotlight program revolves around Romania, and the selection varies from the latest productions to documentaries and short films representative of Romanian cinema. The presence of Romanian guests at the FFC 2022 is facilitated by the Romanian Film Development Association, a partner of this year’s edition.

“It was a great joy for us to learn that the FilmFestival Cottbus, dedicated to Eastern European cinema, has a focus on Romanian films this year. Considering ADFR’s mission, it seemed only natural to propose them a collaboration, so that the Romanian films in the program are represented by their teams. Often, your perception of a film changes after a dialogue with the director or the actors, and we wanted the festival audience to also discover the people behind the stories. This collaboration wouldn’t have happened if our friends from Transilvania IFF had not put us in touch, which is why I would like to thank them for supporting both the local cinema and us in our mission,” said Laura Mușat, the founder of ADFR.

The Romanian titles featured in the festival program are: Cold Waves (dir. Alexandru Solomon), Eagles from Țaga (dir. Adina Popescu, Iulian Manuel Gharvas), Immaculate (dir. Monica Stan, George Chiper-Lillemark), Miracle (dir. Bogdan George Apetri), Occasional Spies (dir. Oana Giurgiu), R.M.N. (dir. Cristian Mungiu), Swamp City (dir. Bogdan Puslenghea, Ovidiu Zimcea), My Family and I (dir. Gabriel Juduc), Inbetween Home (dir. Brigitta Kanyaro), Letter of Forgiveness (dir. Alina Șerban), In the Name of the Father (dir. Vladimir Dembinski), Dincolo (dir. Luca Peres-Bota), I Am Dorin (dir. Valeriu Andriuță), Along Came a Prince (dir. Cristina Grosan), Metronom (dir. Alexandru Belc), Men of Deeds (dir. Paul Negoescu), The Inheritance (dir. Marian Marian Fărcuț), Nicolae (dir. Mihai Grecu).

This years’ edition comprises 11 sections, including:

EcoEast – How does Eastern Europe deal with climate change?

What’s Left – The films in this section discuss Europe’s transition from the ’90s optimism to today’s military violence and renewed war.

Women’s Roles in Socialism and After – It explores women’s roles after 1945 and their evolution to the present day.

Polskie Horyzonty – The films in this section focus on the provincial community and its dramas.

Spectrum – It includes productions standing at the border between genre films and essay films.

Heimat | Domownja | Domizna – A surprising look into Sorbian films and a tribute to the last silhouette filmmaker in the world, Jörg Herrmann.

Ukraine is also represented at the festival, with 13 films in the program, three of them selected in competition. Opening the festival is the dramedy Luxembourg, Luxembourg (dir. Antonio Lukich), following twins Kolya and Vasya, who set off in search of their father after learning that he is dying in a hospital in Luxembourg. Kolya considers his father a hero, whereas Vasya despises him.

The screenings will be followed by Q&A sessions with the filmmakers. There will also be panel discussions tackling topics such as the current situation in Ukraine and how cinema helps in processing the events.

The Feature Film Competition shows the diversity of Eastern Europe through stories ranging from contemplative reflections to experiences of violence under dictatorship and war. Running in the competition are also Romanian films Metronom (dir. Alexandru Belc) and Man of Deeds (dir. Paul Negoescu). Producer and co-founder of Transilvania IFF, Oana Giurgiu, is part of the international juries (feature films), as well as editor Eugen Kelemen (short film). Film critic Călin Boto is on the FIPRESCI jury.

FilmFestival Cottbus will take place between November 8-13, 2022. For more details, check the festival’s website.

Melissa Antonescu

Writer, photographer and videographer. For Films in Frame she writes news about the latest happenings in the film world and brings to the readers' attention the productions that can be seen at the cinema. When she's not writing articles, she's photographing people in a small studio or searching for new cake recipes.