Of Snails and Men

A documentary about the Jewish people in Romania and their several migrations towards Israel, across history and changing political frames - everything presented in a self-proclaimed dadaist style.

1972 was a turning point in Ilie Nastase's career: he won his first US Open, while also reaching both Wimbledon and Davis Cup finals. Moving back and forth in time and featuring amazing archive footage and exclusive interviews with top athletes, the documentary explores Nastase's highs and lows, the controversies that surrounded him and the enduring impact he has had on the world of tennis. Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene, Mr. Nice'n'Nasty disrupted the old-fashioned etiquette of the sport in the 70s thus becoming its first rebel rock star.

Six Romanian artists get to live the dream of their life in a road-movie full of adventures: America, here we come! Coming all the way from Targoviste - a little town near the capital, the five actors, director, and a little child with his huge teddy bear, cross the ocean to perform in New York. Not everything goes according to plan though. The six decide, for some extra money, to start working with a local agent, also Romanian, settled in The States for some time, who promises them a major tour.

Famous film director Levent (45), the honorary guest of Soke Film Festival from Istanbul, is completely unaware of Aliye (25), a housekeeper at the hotel where he is staying. However, Aliye, who is trying to tailor a new life story for herself, knows Levent and his films very well. Aliye's intriguing story brings together these two distant people with completely different lives. Now, they have to choose between reality and fiction.

It is late in the Ceausescu era in Romania, and Cristina is having a difficult time with her boyfriend. He wants her to have sex with him before he goes off to do his obligatory stint in the army. She wants him to marry her first. She also gets involved with a slightly rebellious actor, a would-be ladies' man. He has some vague plans to defect - could those be the reason he is receiving mysterious phone calls? Or are they the work of his anonymous admirer?

Growing up without her parents, who had gone to work in the West, Flavia became a tough but distant teenager. The routine that keeps her safe and emotionally isolated is disrupted when two young children who have run away from home seek shelter with her.

Sibiu, December 1989. In the chaos and panic generated by the protests of the crowd against the authorities, a unit of the militia becomes the target of a violent assault that escalates into a bloody confrontation between soldiers, militiamen, security agents, and civilians. Trying to escape the siege, Captain Viorel of the militia is captured and accused of being a terrorist.

Cristian, a young idealistic prosecutor whose career is on the rise, tries to crack a case against a senior colleague accused of corruption. The dilemma of choosing between his career and the truth weighs heavily on his shoulders. Looking further to solve the case, he enters a danger zone paved with unexpected and painful revelations.

Tired of waiting for love to happen to her, Clara decides to make it happen. She chooses Vlad for her love project. But she wants The One; he wants anyone. She wants a prince, and he is only a man.

Follows the story of Viktor Purice - manager, former projectionist and lifetime cinephile and his two loyal employees, Cornelia & Lorena, in their everyday battle to preserve Dacia Panoramic Cinema in Piatra Neamt - one of the last remaining cinemas in Romania today. Having lived through "the golden age" of cinema, Viktor dreams of bringing back the good old glory days, yet struggles to keep up with the new harsh reality. In a theater that lacks heating and is slowly falling apart, with no support from the State who owns the place, it’s almost a Don Quixote fight.

On a rainy day, two guys arrive in a small village with film and a projector in their car. No one from the village comes to meet them. What happened? Who are they? The not knowing relays no small amount of interest at times through tension as in a horror movie, and at times through compassionate laughter.

Exiled from her country since her husband's murder ten years earlier, Judith lives in Marseille with her three children. After having refused to see her family for years, Judith, in spite of her fears and secrets, allows herself to be influenced by her children's wishes and accepts an invitation to their cousin's wedding. They set off to spend a summer in the old country, discovering their roots and their past. But Judith's return revives old hatreds between rival clans. The spiral of violence is inexorably set in motion, blood will tell...

Elena, a 77-year-old woman, decides to put her son, who has an intellectual disability, in a social care centre. The decision turns out to be harder to bear than she imagined.

Lucia has everything a woman could want. A loving husband and son. The opportunity to devote herself entirely to her family. A lifelong friendship with Cristina, which began during their university days. Yet, amid the intoxicating idyllic summer holiday, Lucia can feel nothing but longing for the person she once was. Lucia and Cristina, accompanied by their husbands, spend the summer in a small beach village whose charm has faded over time. Behind a façade of peace and security, Lucia finds herself drawn to everything that is not handed to her on a silver platter. An unattainable man from her past emerges in their holiday group, giving her a reason to hunt. Because life should not be without a bite.

Larisa is 16 and lives in a city by the sea. It's a small city, where gossip and news spread fast. It's a city where your image and influence, "manelele", money and power are all that matters. And Larisa… wants it all. And even if she doesn't have it, she fights for it. Larisa believes in herself. She knows that she deserves better. She is convinced that it's worth doing everything it takes to fulfill her dreams. And for her courage and recklessness - we love her.

The story of two women, who had to reinvent and recalibrate themselves for others in order to escape poverty and reach their goals. In the end, both seem to get what they want, but the erotic chat industry took its toll on one of them.