The European Film Academy revealed the nominees for the main categories of the European Film Awards 2024, and Anul Nou Care N-a Fost/The New Year That Never Came, the first fiction feature written and directed by Bogdan Mureşanu, is on the list. The Romanian production is one of the six running in the European Discovery 2024 – Prix FIPRESCI category.

The winners will be determined by the votes of the 5,000 members of the European Film Academy and will be announced at the ceremony to be held in Lucerne, Switzerland, on December 7.

Director Bogdan Mureșanu commented: "For me, it is an achievement that I would never have hoped for, and for Romanian cinema, I think it is good news, in the sense that any presence at this level can encourage us to continue exploring new territories. In this case, The New Year That Never Came is a special film, a "meeting" between the public's tastes and those of some specialized critics. I think it's good for both sides that such films exist and that they end up being nominated for such important awards as the European Discovery of 2024."

The New Year That Never Came had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it won four awards, including the top Orizzonti Award for Best Film. 

The movie is a tragicomedy whose action takes place in a single day, before the Revolution of 1989, in which the characters search for normality, safety, love, freedom, and meaning in an absurd world fueled by fear. The cast includes Adrian Văncică, Nicoleta Hâncu, Mihai Călin, Andrei Miercure, Emilia Dobrin, and Iulian Postelnicu.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: PR)