Active Archive, a project organized by the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucharest, will have an early screening at Transilvania IFF, on Friday, August 7, at 9.30 pm, in the schoolyard of “George Cosbuc” National High in Cluj-Napoca.

The research carried out in celebration of 70 years since the establishment of UNATC includes revisiting the university’s archive of student films, made on 16 and 35mm, and digitizing them, but also facilitating the access to other archive materials in UNATC heritage, such as photographs, set design sketches, undergraduate or dissertation thesis and administrative documents which, according to the organizers, “reflect the pedagogical evolution in the fields of performing arts and cinema”.

The Active Archive program presented at Transilvania IFF includes student short films made between 1966 and 1971, digitized and subtitled in English. Their cast and crews include filmmakers and actors, who later became some of the best known names in Romanian cinema, such as Radu Gabrea, Ada Pistiner, Felicia Cernaianu, Iosif Demian, Timotei Ursu, Vivi Dragan Vasile, Gelu Colceag, Mircea Diaconu, Mitica Popescu, etc.

The project team includes Andrei Rus (curator of the film collection), Alex Sterian (coordinator of the digitization program), Nelu Bain (sound mastering), Mircea Crivoi (color grading), Abis studio (scanning of negatives).

“This encounter with films from 50 years ago, which had been stored in boxes for such a long time, rarely or never revisited by fresh eyes and minds, just as their authors’ at the time the films have been made, has something incredible. Having the opportunity to be part of this rediscovery, “to do justice” to several neglected films and artists, to play a role in their revival, it’s really hard for me now to describe this feeling. All I can say is that I wish you all could experience such a thing at some point – I guess this is my way to invite you to work with archives”, writes Andrei Rus, the program’s curator, in a post on Facebook.

Here are the films the public will have the chance to get an exclusive first look of at this year’s edition of Transilvania IFF:

Cadences – written and directed by Radu Gabrea, cinematography by Lascoiu Ortansa, film editing by Dan Naum, music by Cornel Cezar;

Song – written and directed by Felicia Cernaianu, cinematography by Gheorghe Marian, music by A. Prosteanu, starring Cornelia Gheorghiu;

The Dictator and His Servant – written and directed by Ada Pistiner, based on the short story by Romulus Vulpescu, cinematography by Florin Cornea, Mihai Narti, music by Sergiu Mihail, starring Wolfgang Ernst Gyurgyevich, Romulus Vulpescu;

The Fever – directed by Dorin Moldovan, written and cinematography by Vivi Dragan Vasile, starring Cornel Coman, Stefan Velniciuc;

Four Questions – directed by Stefan Traian Roman, cinematography by Ion Cornea, starring Ion Besoiu, Mihai Florea;

Rhythms – directed and cinematography by Andrei Vidrascu;

Negostina – directed by Nicolae Opritescu, cinematography by Iosif Demian, film editing by Dan Naum, starring Margareta Krauss, Gelu Colceag, Dan Turbatu;

Pisciculture – written and directed by Tudor Eliad, cinematography by Ilie Agopian, starring Toma Caragiu, Mitica Popescu;

The Hunt – written and directed by Timotei Ursu, cinematography by Dragomir Valcov, film editing by Monica Ionescu, sound by Silviu Camil, starring Sandu Popa, Mad Radulescu, Mihai Marta, Florica Gusoiu.

For more details, follow the event page Arhiva Activă.

Melissa Antonescu

Writer, photographer and videographer. For Films in Frame she writes news about the latest happenings in the film world and brings to the readers' attention the productions that can be seen at the cinema. When she's not writing articles, she's photographing people in a small studio or searching for new cake recipes.