US Universities Stanford and Berkeley will hold their Romanian Film Festival from April 27 to 29. Now in its third year, the festival will feature Romanian films and documentaries, as well as the usual range of discussions, lectures and workshops at Bechtel International Center, Stanford University.

Via the theme 'Performing Identities in Romanian Cinema' veteran luminaries of Romanian cinema will be celebrated, while new figures are introduced. Some of the highlights should be Mona Nicoara's 'Our School' – described as a touching story of Roma children in rural Romania, which has already picked up awards, as well as legendary Romanian director Lucian Pintilie's 'Carnival Scenes', which was banned for almost a decade, and Romania's Oscars entry 'Morgen', directed by Marian Crisan.

Romania's first documentary on gay rights 'Two of Us', directed by Claudiu Mitcu will also be shown at this year's festival. Among the special guests will be directors Radu Gabrea and Mona Nicoara. All films will be screened in Romanian with English subtitles, and entry is free of charge, while seating will be limited.  The festival schedule available here. 

Romanian schoolchildren got a chance to participate in this year's festival with students from Nicolae Tonitza High School, Bucharest, interpreting the festival's theme with posters to be shown at the event. The results, according to the festival organizers were “very creative and unexpected.”

More about the event on its official website here. 

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com