"Occident” is a bitter comedy on the alluring myth of the Occident among young Romanians, who seem unable to find a meaningful future in post-communist Romania. This sophisticated cinematic commentary is structured into three interlinked stories, united by the characters endemic obsession of emigrating to the West. Cristian Mungiu's Occident won him the Best New Director Award in Leeds, the Audience Award in Tessaloniky, and the "Quinzaine des Realisateurs" listing at Cannes 2002.
2002. 105 minutes. In Romanian with English subtitles.
Introduced by film critic Mihai Chirilov.

The Youth of Europe film series has been conceived and organized by a committee consisting of members from 17 European countries, chaired by Amelia C. Antonucci, Deputy Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, and curated by Marie Losier, Film Curator of the French Institute Alliance Francaise,  and Richard Peña, Program Director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

(Images from "Occident" © Ovidiu Marginean)