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LEGISLATION Romania

The rejection of the new cinema law upsets hundreds of Romanian filmmakers

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- The Romanian film industry has reacted strongly after the country’s parliament rejected the new cinema law

The rejection of the new cinema law upsets hundreds of Romanian filmmakers

More than 400 people connected to the film industry have signed an open letter in order to express their outrage over the rejection of the new cinema law (read the news) by the Romanian Parliament. Without a public debate, the decisional forum, the Chamber of Deputies, voted for the rejection of the law approved by the previous Romanian government last November, before the parliamentary elections were won by the Social Democratic Party.

At the invitation of Ministers of Culture Vlad Alexandrescu and then Corina Şuteu, dozens of active film professionals, including Palme d’Or winner Cristian Mungiu, were involved in drafting the new law, which was supposed to update the obsolete legislation that has been in force since 2005. Among other benefits, the new law opened up the Romanian film industry to European co-productions and minority co-productions, encouraged the discovery of new talent and offered increased visibility for domestic films in Romanian cinemas.

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The film community is outraged that, according to the parliament’s motivation for its decision, the law was rejected following a lack of support from the Ministry of Culture, now led by Social Democrat Ionuţ Vulpescu. The filmmakers accuse the ministry of advising the rejection of the new law as a whole, without meeting with film-industry representatives and without suggesting any amendments. Drafted by members of the board of the Romanian National Film Center and signed by hundreds of the most active Romanian film professionals, the open letter urges the ministry to send the law back to the parliament and get involved in updating the legislation. 

The filmmakers’ vehement reaction may also convince Romanian President Klaus Iohannis not to sanction the rejection of the law, which may lead to fresh discussions on this much-needed legislative update.

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