“One Step Behind the Seraphim”, the great winner of the 2018 Gopo Awards

     On Tuesday evening the Big Hall of the “I.L.Caragiale” National Theatre in Bucharest was almost too small for the more than 1000 guests of the 12th edition of the Gopo Awards Gala, the most important event dedicated to the Romanian film industry. The host of the evening was the actor Alexandru Bogdan. The Gala was filled with unique, funny moments, but also with lots of emotions; it could be watched live on TVR2 and online on Cinepub and premiilegopo.ro
     Victor Rebengiuc, Dorel Vișan, Simona Bondoc, Gheorghe Visu, Tora Vasilescu, Andrei Șerban, Jacqueline Bisset, Ana Ularu, Dragoș Pătraru, Pavel Bartoș, Dana Rogoz, Andrei Aradits, Vlad Păunescu, Iulia Lumânare, Olimpia Melinte, Medeea Marinescu, Oana Sârbu, Maria Obretin, Magda Catone, Ada Galeș, Nicoleta Hâncu or Manuela Hărăbor were only a few of the guests who stepped on the red carpet.
One Step Behind the Seraphim/Un pas în urma serafimilor, the film with the most nominations, took home 8 statues, among which, the most important awards of the evening: Best Film, Best Director(Daniel Sandu), offered by Banca Transilvania, Best Screenplay(Daniel Sandu), Best First Feature (Daniel Sandu), Best Lead Actor (Vlad Ivanov), offered by Audi Romania, Best Supporting Actor (Ali Amir), Best Cinematography (George Dăscălescu) and Best New Hope (Ștefan Iancu). The film also received the award of the Romanian Society of Cinematographers.
     6.9 on the Richter Scale /6,9 pe scara Richter, directed by Nae Caranfil, won 5 Gopo trophies: Best Sound (Aleksander Simeonov, Tamas Szekely, Florin Tăbăcaru), Best Score (Nae Caranfil, Bogdan Dimitriu, Liviu Mănescu), Best Art Direction (Andreea Popa), Best Costumes (Doina Levinţa, Adina Bucur), offered by Cellini Romania and Best Make-up and Hairstyling (Cătălin Ciutu, Dana Roşeanu și Iulia Roșeanu), offered  by MAC Cosmetics.
Diana Cavallioti, Ana from the film Ana, mon amour, won the award for Best Lead Actress, offered by Aqua Carpatica and Dana Bunescu, the editor of Călin Peter Netzer`s film received the award for Best Editing. Diana Spătărescu, who played the part of Ana Rășcanu in Fixer/Fixeur (directed by Adrian Sitaru), won the Best Supporting Actress Award.
     Planeta Petrila, the feature-length documentary directed by Andrei Dăscălescu, won  the Best Documentary Award, offered by Auchan Retail Romania.
     For the Best European Film, the votes of the Romania film professionals and critics went to On Body and Soul, distributed in Romania by Bad Unicorn.
     Memorable moments (both on the red carpet and during the Gala) were created by the winners of the Lifetime Achievement Awards, George Mihăiță and Vladimir Găitan, (offered by the Bucharest Mayor House, through Arcub), to the actress Sanda Toma (offered by Apa Nova Bucharest) and to the cinematographer Ion Marinescu. A Special Award was awarded to the film critic and historian Bujor T. Rîpeanu.
     The Audience Award for the greatest box office success in 2017 was received by Octav (directed by Sergiu Celibidachi) and the Audience Award for the highest incomes went to Ghinionistul  (directed by Iura Luncaşu).
     The 2018 Gopo Awards Gala – the 12th edition is organized by the Romanian Film Promotion Association, with the support of the Romanian Film Centre, Babel Communications and of the Ministry of Culture and National Identity.