The Gopo Awards for the Romanian films

The Gopo Awards Gala on Monday took place in Bucharest.

Mihai Pelin, 31.03.2015, 13:43

“Closer to the Moon”directed by Nae Caranfil was the great winner of the Gopo Awards for the Romanian film industry. The Gala took place at the Bucharest National Theatre on Monday. That international co-production with a predominantly Hollywood cast was awarded nine prizes, including three of the most important prizes: the best film, the best director and the best script awards.

When the Minister of Culture Ionut Vulpescu and the director of the National Theatre Ion Caramitru presented Nae Caranfil with the Gopo statuette, he said: “In this gala we’ve had several films surveying the communist epoch. I’m glad I’m the winner because I think those times are an extraordinary source of inspiration. This kind of circus show in this part of the world should not be forgotten.”

“Quod Erat Demonstrandum”, directed by Andrei Gruzsniczki, the film with the largest number of nominations, got five awards, including the best leading actress award, which went to Ofelia Popii, the best leading actor award, which went to Florin PiersicJr., the award for the best supporting actor presented to Virgil Ogasanu and the award for the best supporting actress granted to Alina Berzunteanu.

“Toto and His Sisters” won the Gopo award for the best documentary, while Radu Jude received the sixth Gopo award in his career for the best short fiction film “It Can Pass through the Wall”. “La Grande Bellezza” directed by Paolo Sorrentino was designated the best European film. #Selfie, the Romanian blockbuster with the highest sales standing at 250,000 Euros and over 100,000 spectators was awarded the audience prize.

Actresses Eugenia Bosinceanu and Coca Bloos were presented with the lifetime achievement award. All in all, over 80 Romanian films screened in cinema halls and at international festivals were the nominees at the 9th Gopo Awards Gala; the Gopo Awards are the so-called Romanian Oscar Awards. They were granted by the Association for the Promotion of the Romanian Film to the most successful achievements of the domestic film industry in 2014.

The name of the Gala is a tribute paid to Romanian film maker Ion Popescu Gopo, who won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 1957 for the best animation short film.