Directors Rakan Mayasi ('Yesterday the Eye Didn't Sleep') and Eivind Landsvik ('Low Expectations') are guests at the Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest festival and will meet audiences in Bucharest at Cinema Elvire Popesco, Cinema Muzeul Taranului and the Auditorium Hall of the National Museum of Art of Romania, the organisers said in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Monday.

'Yesterday the Eye Didn't Sleep,' directed by Rakan Mayasi, is a film made without a script, featuring real members of the Al Mawla family. The story is inspired by the director's grandmother, who was forced into marriage. In a community on the border between Lebanon and Syria, the disappearance of Gamra and the burning of a lorry spark a conflict fuelled by long-standing resentments. While Yasser sets out to find his cousin, sisters Jawaher and Rim are tasked with restoring peace through personal sacrifice. Against a backdrop of oppressive traditions, secrets and a desire for freedom, the story explores the position of women and the tension between duty, submission and rebellion, according to the film's synopsis.

On 31 October, director Rakan Mayasi will introduce the film at 12.30 pm at the Auditorium Hall of the National Museum of Art of Romania. He will also attend a discussion with the audience at Cinema Elvire Popesco following the 8 pm screening.

'Low Expectations,' directed by Eivind Landsvik, tells the story of Maja, a young musician who seems to have achieved cult-artist status online a little too soon. Her successful career begins to fall apart, forcing her to return to her home town. While teaching at a secondary school to make a living, she struggles with depression and rediscovers herself in unexpected ways, according to the film's presentation.

Director Eivind Landsvik will be in Bucharest on 29 October, where he will meet film enthusiasts and talk about his films and his career in cinema at Cinema Muzeul Taranului following the 8.30 pm screening.

'Fjord,' written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, will receive a special screening on 24 October at 7.30 pm at the Romanian Athenaeum, in the director's presence, as part of the 17th edition of the Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest festival.

The 17th edition of Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest will take place in Bucharest from 23 October to 1 November.

Screenings in the capital will be held at Cinema Elvire Popesco, Cinema Muzeul Taranului Roman, the Auditorium Hall of the National Museum of Art of Romania and Apollo 111.

This year, Les Films de Cannes will also travel to several other Romanian cities: Timisoara, at Cinema Studio and Cinema Timis, from 22 to 25 October; Arad, at Cinema Arta, from 28 to 31 October; and Oradea, at Cinema Palace, from 29 October to 1 November. On 29 October, the Tarii Crisurilor Museum will host a special screening of '4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,' directed by Cristian Mungiu. The festival tour will conclude in Iasi, where film enthusiasts are invited to Cinema Ateneu from 6 to 8 November.

The Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest festival was founded in 2010 by Cristian Mungiu with the support of Thierry Fremaux, general delegate of the Cannes Film Festival. It is organised by the Cinemascop Association and Voodoo Films. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Petronius Craiu; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)