By the Romanian Film Festival Seattle staff

The 7th Edition of The Romanian Film Festival Seattle, “One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying: RESILIENT TOGETHER,” will be screening virtually for the first time this year through Northwest Film Forum November 13-21!  This year’s lineup features films that tie into the theme of “resilience” and coming together to enact change—politically and personally—within ourselves and the world.

The American Romanian Cultural Society Seattle invites you to watch inspiring stories of resilience and solidarity, from the comfort of your homes, to imagine the world after the pandemic, and explore new possibilities for social change. In addition to streaming films, there will be virtual opportunities to interact with local, national and international special guests. Tickets and passes are on sale now.

The Romanian Film Festival Seattle staff chose selected titles from the Scarecrow Video catalog to pair with films screening during the festival: 

At Scarecrow, rent: THE DEATH OF MR LAZARESCU (2005) Directed by Cristi Puiu, which launched the “Romanian New Wave” movement. 

At the Festival, see Puiu’s latest film MALMKROG (2020), a three-in-one project — an adaptation of Vladimir Solovyov’s THREE CONVERSATIONs, a period drama beautifully recreating the turn of the twentieth century, and a philosophical symposium.

At Scarecrow, rent: AFERIM! (2015 ) Directed by Radu Jude, about a local policeman hired by a man to find a Roma slave who ran away after having an affair with his wife. 

At the Festival, see UPPERCASE PRINT (2020), Jude’s latest film about a high school student and activist who gets caught writing graffiti messages about food shortages and a lack of freedom.

At Scarecrow, rent: BOOGIE (2008), Directed by Radu Muntean, which explores complicated relationships and pairs perfectly with MONSTERS. 

At the Festival, see MONSTERS (2019), Directed by Marius Olteanu, about a married couple exploring their relationship through encounters with strangers. 

At Scarecrow, rent BACALAUREAT (2016), Directed by Cristian Mungiu, about teens in post-communist Romania. 

At the Festival, see OTTO THE BARBARIAN (2020), Directed by Ruxandra Ghitescu, which follows a teen-aged boy, as he wanders in the wake of his girlfriend’s suicide, struggling to cope.

At Scarecrow, rent THE WAY I SPENT THE END OF THE WORLD (2006), Directed by Cătălin Mitulescu, about a family living in Bucharest during the final years of their communist regime. 

At the Festival, see THE SOVIET GARDEN ( ), Directed by Dragos Turea, which explores the history of Soviet agriculture policies and their health and ecological consequences, and SO, WHAT’S FREEDOM? (2020), Directed by Andrei Zincă, that recreates the drama of a handful of people out of the 40,000 innocents who were deported by the communists to Bărăgan in the 1950s. 

At Scarecrow, rent THE CRAZY STRANGER (1997), Directed by Tony Gatlif, a romance centered around Roma minority rights. 

At the Festival, see LETTER OF FORGIVENESS (2020), Directed by Alina Serban, and GIPSY QUEEN (2019), Directed by Hüseyin Tabak. LETTER is a short film based on the true story of two Roma slaves who helped change the course of Romanian history; GIPSY QUEEN tells the inspiring story of Ali, a single Roma mother who finds her true calling as a boxer.