Radu Jude's latest film, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, is Romania's submission for the 2024 Oscar awards in the Best International Feature category.

The film was chosen by a commission of the National Cinematography Center (CNC) made up of directors Alexander Nanău and Iulia Rugină, film critic Irina Margareta Nistor, producer Tudor Reu, and director Adina Sădeanu.

It is the fourth film by Jude selected to represent Romania at the awards, after Aferim!, Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari/ I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians, and Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc/ Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn.

The film premiered last month at the Locarno Film Festival, where it received the Jury Prize, a mention from the Ecumenical Jury, and the first prize from the Youth Jury.

It is scheduled to open in local cinemas at the end of October. Until then, it will be screened in competition or as a guest at festivals such as New York, Toronto, BFI London, Viennale and more.

The film connects various narratives (about exploitation, tiredness, death, image), multiple genres (road movie, comedy, documentary), different types of humor and esthetic strategies.

Ilinca Manolache, Ovidiu Pîrșan, Dorina Lazăr and László Miske star in the leading roles, alongside German actress Nina Hoss. The cast also includes Katia Pascariu, Șerban Pavlu, Nicodim Ungureanu, Ioana Iacob, Claudia Ieremia, Zita Moldovan, Rodica Negrea, Adina Cristescu and Sofia Nicolaescu, with a cameo from filmmaker Uwe Boll.

The shortlist for the 2024 Oscar nominations will be announced on December 21, while the final selection on January 23 of next year.

Director and screenwriter Radu Jude won the CICAE Art Cinema award at the 2009 Berlinale for his debut feature film, Cea mai fericită fată din lume/ The Happiest Girl in the World. His 2012 feature Toată lumea din familia noastră/ Everybody in Our Family premiered in Berlinale’s Forum section.

He won the Silver Bear at the 2015 Berlinale for Aferim! and the Golden Bear in 2021 for Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc/ Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn.

His 2016 Inimi cicatrizate/ Scarred Hearts received two awards at the Locarno International Film Festival and brought him the best director award at the Mar del Plata Film Festival. Jude's 2018 Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari/ I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians received the Crystal Globe Award at the 53rd edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival - the first Romanian feature to receive the distinction of the Czech film event.

He is currently working on the montage documentary 8 ilustrate din lumea ideală/8 Illustrated Scenes from the Ideal World together with philosopher Christian Ferencz-Flatz, and on the feature film Dracula Park.

(Photo: 4 Proof Film)

simona@romania-insider.com