The 17th edition of the Romanian Film Evenings festival is taking place from August 5 to 9 across ten venues in the city of Iasi, featuring preview screenings, concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, and meetings with actors and directors.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the festival's director, Andrei Giurgia, said that this year's edition had been organised under the most challenging financial circumstances since the event began to grow.

'In fact, I found things easier during the pandemic, if I may put it that way. Nevertheless, together with my colleagues, we decided not to compromise on quality. Even though we are operating at a slight loss, we have accepted that because we promised audiences that this year's festival would once again deliver a high-quality programme,' said Andrei Giurgia, Director of Romanian Film Evenings.

The programme includes more than 50 events taking place at ten venues across the city, ranging from film screenings and preview premieres to concerts, conferences, theatre performances, book launches, and the photographic exhibition 'Nadia. Perfection Has a Story', marking the 50th anniversary of Nadia Comaneci's historic first perfect 10 at the Olympic Games.

The exhibition brings together documentary photographs from the AGERPRES archive and will remain open until September 5.

'The AGERPRES archive represents memory. Virtually no significant moment in Romania's recent history is absent from the photographs we preserve. However, an archive is not only about the past; it also helps us understand the future. Without reference points and without building on solid role models, we risk losing sight of the direction we should be taking. That is why, through the photographic exhibition 'Nadia. Perfection Has a Story', we wanted to present not only the legend of Romanian sport and the achievement that changed the history of the Olympic Games 50 years ago. We also chose to show Nadia beyond the podium: Nadia as a schoolgirl, Nadia as a bride, and Nadia as a mother. This travelling exhibition features photographs that reveal the person behind the champion and demonstrate that, much like cinema, photography has the power to tell stories that endure across generations,' said Claudia Victoria Nicolae, Director General of the National News Agency AGERPRES.

According to the organisers, the 17th edition of the festival has been built around the theme 'Therapy'. Among this year's guests are Marcel Iures, Maia Morgenstern, Mariana Mihut, George Mihaita, Irina-Margareta Nistor, Cristian Tudor Popescu, Tudor Giurgiu, Paul Negoescu, Emilia Popescu, Medeea Marinescu, Mihai Bendeac, Ion Sapdaru, Alexandru Papadopol, and Ioana Flora.

'We are a city of culture and one of Romania's historic cities. Through this festival, we demonstrate that Iasi contributes to Romanian culture and has the capacity to redefine it within modern society. We believe we are fulfilling our duty. We have an obligation to carry Romanian Film Evenings forward. It is a concept created entirely in Iasi that succeeds in introducing Romania's younger generation to something that has shaped, and continues to shape, our culture to the highest standards and deserves to become an emblem for the new generation,' said Iasi Mayor Mihai Chirica.

Organised by the ARTIS Association in partnership with the Iasi National Athenaeum, the festival aims to transform five days in August into a space for reflection, dialogue, and reconnection through art.

Events are being held at several venues across Iasi, including Ateneu Cinema, the Mihai Ursachi House of Culture, the Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre, the Unirii Hall - Victoria Cinema, as well as open-air locations such as Unirii Square. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniela Malache; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)