The Gopo awards

The National Theatre in Bucharest played host to the Romanian film awards, with Paul Negoescus Men of Deeds winning the Gopo award for best feature film. It also won for best director, best lead actor, Iulian Postelnicu, best supporting role, Vasile Muraru, best screenplay, Radu Romaniuc and Oana Tudor, and best editing, Eugen Kelemen.

Ştefan Stoica, 26.04.2023, 12:13

Men of Deeds is a black comedy that follows Ilie, a former small-town policeman who ends up in a border village in northern Romania. A crime turns him into a vigilante who tries to arrest those responsible. The film caught the attention of the specialist press when it was first screened at the Sarajevo festival in 2022. The British publication Screen International compared it with a western by the Coen brothers or by Tarantino, and Variety Magazine described Ilie as “a victim and a grotesque”, “gnarled by a culture of corruption”.

Another film that won awards abroad, Metronom directed by Alexandru Belc, won the Gopo awards for best costume, best cinematography, best make-up and best set design. Andreea Grămoşteanu won the best female lead award for her role in Dog Poop Girl, and Ofelia Popii won the best female supporting role award for her part in Man and Dog. Ioana Crăciunescu won the lifetime achievement award and Mircea Andreescu won the award for the entire career. Film editors Melania Oproiu, Nita Chivulescu and Mircea Ciocâltei won the special Gopo award for their contribution to some of the most important Romanian productions.

Last but not least, a tribute was paid to the man after whom the awards are named, the great filmmaker Ion Popescu Gopo, given the 100th anniversary of the date of his birth is celebrated this year. “Gopo was one of the most important directors and animation film makers in the history of Romanian cinema”, said Medeea Marinescu. Gopos most memorable films include Short History, A Bomb Was Stolen, If I Were Harap Alb and Maria Mirabela. “Gopo was a visionary, a master of animation and a great director who inspired and influenced entire generations of filmmakers. His innovative films and his creativity were recognised around the world and his work rewarded with the most important international prizes, including the Palme dOr at Cannes”, Medeea Marinescu also said.

The publics choice award went to Teambuilding, directed by Matei Dima, Cosmin Nedelcu and Alex Coteţ, which was the Romanian film with the highest box office success at home.