Romanian director Cristian Mungiu’s latest film Fjord attracted more than 43,000 spectators to a unique nationwide preview event on June 13, setting what organizers said was a record for an arthouse film in Romania. The special screening took place simultaneously in 96 cinemas across 53 cities, ahead of the film’s official release.
A total of 43,440 people watched Fjord during the one-time event, which was shown on 315 screens nationwide, according to the official announcement.
The special preview came shortly after Cristian Mungiu won his second Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, making him only the tenth filmmaker in history to receive the award twice.
The screening generated unprecedented demand, with tens of thousands of tickets sold within the first 24 hours and nearly half of participating cinemas reporting sold-out shows. Organizers said the first 100 screenings in the Cinema City network sold out in less than 13 hours after tickets went on sale.
“Thank you very much for the interest you have shown in the preview screening of Fjord. Contrary to some opinions, films are made for audiences, and the greatest joy is to see full theaters and to know that viewers have something to talk about after they leave the cinema. I have nothing against purely commercial cinema, but it would be sad if we limited ourselves only to that type of film, when, with a bit of skill, you can make films that are both engaging and have something meaningful to say,” Mungiu stated.
The director added that the film’s team plans to bring Fjord to as many locations as possible in Romania, including towns that currently lack cinema facilities.
In Bucharest alone, around 16,000 people attended the June 13 screenings of the film, including showings at art-house venues such as Cinema Elvire Popesco, Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Cinema Union, Cinemateca Eforie, and Cinema Europa. The film was also screened simultaneously on 22 screens in the Cineplexx network after additional screenings were added to meet demand.
Fjord tells the story of Lisbet and Mihai Gheorghiu, a married couple who move to a small village on a Norwegian fjord. They soon befriend their neighbors, the Halberg family, while the children of the two households grow close despite differences in upbringing and values. The cast includes Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adrian Titieni, Alin Panc, Giulia Nahmany, and Ana Bodea.
The film marks Cristian Mungiu’s first English-language feature and Sebastian Stan’s first Romanian-produced film.
Following its Romanian preview, Fjord is scheduled to premiere in most European countries starting in August.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: press release)
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