The American Film Institute Festival in Los Angeles presents this year two Romanian Films: the U.S. Premiere of FIRST OF ALL, FELICIA, by Răzvan Rădulescu and Melissa de Raaf, and POLICE, ADJECTIVE by Corneliu Porumboiu, with all directors in attendance.

POLICE ADJECTIVE (an IFC Films release) was recently presented in the main slate of the New York Film Festival, enjoying a great critical reception, following its Grand Jury Award and the FIPRESCI Award of the Un Certain Regard section of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. The film is also the official Romanian selection for the Academy Awards for best foreign film, and will enter American theaters on December 23. RCINY supports the participation of Corneliu Porumboiu to all AFI Fest events.

Robert Koehler writes about FIRST OF ALL, FELICIA: "In a collaboration unique in Romania’s burgeoning cinema, Razvan Radulescu (from Romania) and Melissa de Raaf (from the Netherlands) have co-written and directed a simple yet rich story confined to a single day... Radulescu, who has worked as a writer with Cristi Puiu, Radu Muntean and Cristian Mungiu, says that he and de Raaf’s goal was “to shape the day of Felicia’s departure into a hallmark for her life condition.” Even by the extraordinarily high standard of Romanian film acting, Oancea and Cernat attain rare levels of emotional honesty."


[Image: Corneliu Porumboiu, New York Film Festival/Godlis]