2016 has brought cute a few premieres for the Romanian cinema, which ensured that Romanian filmmakers were present in the international film festival circuit.

“With each year passing by, the list of the award winners grows bigger and – nota bene! – it is not exhaustive. Besides some unintentional omissions for which we apologize, there is a deliberate selection of the festivals, both local and foreign ones, because we chose only the established ones.
As usual, the stars are still the Cannes, the Berlin and the Venice International Film Festivals. In 2016, the first one spoiled us with three films in the selection (two –
Graduation / Bacalaureat and
Sieranevada – in the official competition and one –
Dogs /
Câini in the Un certain regard section); the second festival gave us a break, letting us ponder upon the great successes from the previous years at Berlinale; and Venice ignored us, as usual and something should be done so that it may become more friendly (
Magda Mihăilescu suggested an annual gala, similar to ``Les films de Cannes à Bucarest”. Why not?)
As usual the awards from Romania are more numerous than the international ones, though due to the large number of film festivals, we made a drastic selection here as well. The TIFF and the two galas – UCIN and Gopo – still have the supremacy. Aarc.ro congratulates all the award winners of 2016, from the bottom of its virtual heart,”
says Cristina Corciovescu.
2016 Award Winners
- Gabriel Achim – Ultima zi – Premiul ZFR la TIFF / The Last Day – the Romanian Days Award for Best Feature Film at TIFF
- Mihnea Aliciu – Omul din lună - Premiul pentru producție de film românesc + Premiul Criticii la CineMAiubit / The Man in the Moon – Best Producer of a Romanian Film Award + Critics Award at the CineMAiubit International Student Film festival
- Anamaria Antoci – Meda – Premiul Indie IPIFF pentru cel mai bun scurtmetraj + Premiul CICAE la Berlinale Forum / Meda – the IPIFF Indie Award for the Best Short Film + the CICAE Award at the Berlinale Forum
- Romulus Balazs - Iași Memories - Premiul UrbanEye 2016 / the 2016 UrbanEye Award
- Radu Bărbulescu – Dispozitiv 0068 – Short BUZZ pentru cel mai bun scurtmetraj + Mențiune specială NexT / 0068 Sniper`s Nest – Short Buzz for Best Short Film + the NexT Special Mention of the Jury
- Ion Besoiu – București NonStop – Cel mai bun actor la Varna - Festivalul "Love Is Folly" / Bucharest NonStop – the Best Actor Award – Varna “Love Is Folly” Festival
- Matei Branea – Omulan! – Premiul UCIN pentru animație / the UCIN Award for Best Animation
- Dana Bunescu – Carmen – Premiul UCIN pentru montaj / the UCIN Award for Best Editing
- Dan Chisu – Bucuresti Non-Stop – Premiul special al juriului FIFA Mons + Marele Premiu și Trofeul UCIN / Bucharest NonStop – the Special Award of the Jury at the Mons International Love Film Festival and the UCIN Trophy
- Igor Cobileanski – Afacerea Est – Premiul pentru scenariu Tallin Black Nights / Eastern Business – Best Screenplay Award at the Tallin Black Nights
- Ana-Maria Comănescu - Pipa, sexul și omleta - Premiul Președintelui Uniunii Cineaștilor din România (UCIN) la CineMAIubit / Pipe, Sex and Omelette – the Prize of the President of UCI N at the 2016 CineMAiubit
- Teodor Corban – Aferim! – Gopo rol principal / Best Actor at the Gopo Gala
- Andrei Crețulescu – Ramona – Gopo pentru scurtmetraj / Best Short Film at the Gopo Gala
- Alexandru Dabija – Aferim! – Gopo pentru actor in rol secundar / Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Anca Damian - Premiul „Audientia” acordat de Fondul Eurimages al Consiliului Europei în cadrul celei de-a 35-a ediții a Festivalului Internațional de Film de la Istanbul + Premiul UCIN pentru documentar Muntele magic / The Magic Mountain – the “Audientia” Award offered by the Eurimages Fund of the European Council, during the 35th edition of the International Istanbul Film Festival
- Mihai Dragolea, Radu Mocanu – Roboțelul de aur – Trofeul BUZZ CEE pentru cel mai bun documentar + Premiul Indie IPIFF pentru documentar de lungmetraj / Golden Robot – the BUZZ CEE Trophy for the Best Documentary + the Indie IPIFF Award for the Best Feature-length Documentary
- Ioana Flora – Acasă la tata – Gopo pentru rol principal + Premiul UCIN rol secundar / Back Home - Best Actress in a Leading Role Award at the Gopo Gala + the UCIN award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Oana Giurgiu – Alyiah Dada – Gopo pentru documentar / the Gopo award for Best Documentary
- Tudor Giurgiu, Loredana Novak – De ce eu? – Premiul UCIN pentru scenario / Why Me? – the UCIN award for Best Screenplay
- Alina Grigore – Ilegitim - Premiul CICAE la Forum Berlinale + Bayard d’Or pentru cel mai bun scenariu la Namur + Mențiune specială pentru cea mai bună actriță la L’Europe autour de l’Europe, Paris / Illegitimate – the CICAE Award at the Forum Berlinale + the Bayard D`or for the Best Screenplay at the Namur FF + Special Mention for the Best Actress at L`Europe autour de l`Europe, Paris
- Mihai Grecu – Reflecția puterii – Premiul pentru cel mai bun regizor român - UCIN la BIEFF / the Award for Best Romanian Director offered by the Romanian Filmmakers Union at the BIEFF
- Ana Maria Guran – Lumea e a mea - Gopo Tânără speranță / The World Is Mine – Young Hope Award at the Gopo Gala
- Andrada Iacobeț - Autoportret - Premiul „Ion Truică” pentru film românesc de animație la CineMAIubit / Self-portrait – the „Ion Truică” Award for Best Romanian Animation at the CineMAiubit
- Ion Indolean – Discordia – Premiul ZFR debut / Discordia – the Debut Award at the TIFF Romanian Days
- Mihai Ionescu – Dopul scuză mijloacele – Premiul UCIN pentru scurtmetraj de ficțiune/ The Cork Justifies the Means – the UCIN Award for Best Fiction Short
- Tudor Aaron Istodor – Fixeur - Cel mai bun actor la Les Arcs European Film Festival. / Fixer – the Best Actor Award at Les Arcs European Film Festival
- Radu Jude – Aferim! – 13 premii Gopo + Premiul special al juriului UCIN + Inimi cicatrizate – Premiul special al juriului la Locarno / Aferim! - 13 Gopo Awards + the UCIN Special Prize of the Jury & Scarred Hearts – the Special Mention of the Jury at the Locarno IF Festival
- Rodica Lazăr – Carmen – Premiul UCIN pentru rol principal / the UCIN Award for the Best Actress in a Leading Role
- MonicaLăzurean-Gorgan – Doar o răsuflare – Cel mai bun documentar la Sarajevo + Premiul pentru regie Docuart + Cel mai bun documentar românesc la Astra / A Mere Breath – the Best Documentary Award at the Sarajevo International Film Festival + the Best Director Award at the Docuart Festival + the Best Romanian Documentary at the Astra Film Festival
- Cristian Lolea – Carmen - Premiul UCIN pentru muzică / The UCIN Award for Best Music
- Sorin Luca – Imagini din vis – Marele Premiu Docuart / Dream Images – the Docuart Trophy
- Bogdan Mirică – Câini – Premiul FIPRESCI la Un Certain Regard Cannes+ Trofeul TIFF + Mențiunea specială a juriului la Sarajevo / Dogs – the FIPRESCI Award at the Cannes Un Certain Regard section - the TIFF Trophy + the Special Mention of the Jury at the Sarajevo IF Festival
- Claudiu Mitcu – Rețeaua – Premiul UCIN pentru scurtmetraj documentar / The Network – the UCIN Award for Best Short Film Documentary
- Cătălin Mitulescu – Dincolo de calea ferată – Mențiune specială la Karlovy Vary / By the Rails – Special Mention at the Karlovy Vary IF Festival
- Maia Morgenstern – Veni, vidi, fugi – Cea mai bună actriță în rol secundar la Sydney Indie / Veni, vidi, run – the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Award at the Sydney Indie
- Cristian Mungiu – Bacalaureat – Premiul pentru regie Cannes + Palić Tower pentru cea mai bună regie + Silver Plaque pentru scenario / Graduation – the Best Director Award at the Cannes IF Festival + Palić Tower for the Best Director + Silver Plaque for screenplay
- Paul Mureșan – Mamă, tată, vreau să vă spun ceva – Cel mai bun film românesc Anim’est / Mom, Dad, I Have to Tell You Something – The Best Romanian Film Award at the Anim`est Film festival
- Paul Negoescu – Două lozuri – Mențiunea specială a juriului la Zurich + Premiul Indie IPIFF pentru cel mai bun producător / Two Lottery Tickets – Special Mention of the Jury at the Zurich FF + the Indie IPIFF Award for the producer of the year
- Călin Peter Netzer – producător Album de familie – Trofeul Heart of Sarajevo / Album (co-producer) – the Heart of Sarajevo Trophy
- Doru Nițescu – Carmen – Premiul UCIN pentru debut / the UCIN Award for Best Debut
- Marius Panduru – Aferim! - Premiul UCIN pentru imagine / the UCIN Award for Best Cinematography
- Cristian Pop – Prăjitorul de pâine – Premiul special al juriului DaKino + Premiu pentru cel mai bun scurtmetraj românesc la NexT / The Toaster – the Special Award of the DaKino Jury + the award for the Best Romanian Short Film at the NexT FF
- Corneliu Porumboiu – Comoara – Premiul pentru regie UCIN / The Treasure – the UCIN Best Director Award
- Radu Potcoavă – Mă cheamă Costin – Mențiune specială la ZFR + Trofeul Vladutz la Dracula???/ My Name Is Costin – Special mention at the TIFF Romanian Days + the Vladutz Trophy at the Dracula??? ...
- Alex Potocean – Nu există-n lumea asta – Premiul UCIN pentru rol secundar / Nothing Like It in This World – the UCIN Award for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Cristi Puiu – Trofeul Transilvania 15 + Gold Hugo - Cel mai bun film Sieranevada şi Silver Hugo - cel mai bun regizor + Trofeul de Excelență Astra / The Transilvania 15 Trophy + Gold Hugo – Best Feature Film Award and Silver Hugo – Best Director Award + the Astra Trophy of Excellence
- Botond Püsök – Angela – Premiul pentru regie la Docuart + Premiul pentru regie Astra / The Best Director Award at Docuart + the Best Director Award at the Astra FF
- Cristian Radu – Skateboarding is not a crime – Mențiune specială Anim’est / Special Mention (Anim`est)
- Cătălin Rotaru şi Gabi Virginia Șarga – 4:15 PM Sfârșitul lumii – Mențiunea special a juriului la Sarajevo + Premiul special IPIFF pentru scurtmetraj / 4:15 P.M., The End of the World – Special Mention of the Jury at the Sarajevo FF + Special Mention for Short Film at the Indie IPIFF
- Ion Sapdaru, Constantin Pușcașu – Afacerea Est – Premiul pentru cel mai bun actor la Tallin Black Nights / Eastern Business – Best Actor Award at the Tallin Black Nights
- Zoran Simulov - New Dakia (Reset) - Premiul de imagine la CineMAIubit / Best Cinematography Award at the CineMAiubit Festival
- Adrian Sitaru – Ilegitim – Premiul CICAE Berlinala 2016 – Forum + „Prix Sauvage” la „L’Europe autour de l’Europe” + Bayard d’Or pentru cel mai bun scenariu la Namur + Fixeur - Mențiune Specială a Juriului în cadrul Les Arcs European Film Festival / Illegitimate – the CICAE Award at the Berlinale-Forum + “Prix Sauvage” at the “L`Europe autour de l`Europe” + Bayard d`Or for the Best Screenplay at the Namur FF + The Fixer – Special Mention of the Jury at Les Arcs European Film Festival
- Mihaela Sîrbu – Aferim – Gopo pentru actriță în rol secundar / the Gopo Award for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Roxana Stroe – O noapte in Tokoriki – Berlinala - Premiul Generation 14 plus + Premiul ZFR pentru scurtmetraj + Premiul pentru cel mai bun scurtmetraj românesc la Anonimul + Premiul IPIFF pentru film studențesc / A Night in Tokoriki – Berlinale – the Award generation 14 plus + the TIFF Romanian Days Award for Best Short Film + the Best Short Film Award at the Anonimul FF + the IPIFF Award for Best Student Film
- Ion Ioachim Stroe – Cinema, mon amour – Premiul Docuart pentru montaj / Cinema, mon amour – the Docuart Award for Best Editing
- Cristian Tarnovețchi – București Non-Stop – Premiul UCIN pentru coloană sonoră / Bucharest NonStop – the UCIN Award for Best Original Score
- Nicolae Constantin Tănase – Lumea e a mea - Gopo pentru debut / The World Is Mine – the Gopo Award for Best Debut
- Adrian Titieni – Ilegitim - Bayard pentru cel mai bun actor la Namur + Bacalaureat - Silver Hugo pentru cel mai bun actor la Chicago / Illegitimate – the Bayard Award for Best Actor at the Namur FF + Graduation – Silver Hugo for the Best Actor
- Isabela Țenț - Chat with Alice – Gopo pentru scurtmetraj documentar / the Gopo Award for the Best Short Documentary
- Cuzin Toma – Comoara – Premiul UCIN pentru rol principal / The Treasure – the UCIN Award for the Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Gheorghe Visu – Câini – Heart of Sarajevo pentru cel mai bun actor / Dogs – the Heart of Sarajevo for the Best Actor