The film “Past Lives” directed by Celine Song won the Grand Prix at the 19th Bucharest International Film Festival, which took place from September 15 to 22.

A frame from the movie “Past Lives”Photo: LMK / Landmark / Profimedia Images

The closing gala of the 19th Bucharest International Film Festival took place at the Museum of the Romanian Peasant after 8 days, during which more than 30 films from different cinematographic genres were broadcast.

“It was a busy week, as we are used to in recent years. This year we broke the record for the number of closed movie screenings, for which we want to thank you and at the same time we believe that the work done by the entire team gave the expected result,” said Varinia Radu, the representative of the company. Grigore Vasiliu Birlic Association, co-organizer of BIFF 2023.

BIFF 2023 competition prizes:

  • the Grand Prix “Grand Prix” was awarded to the film past livesdirected by Celine Song;

  • The award for best director went to Pham Thien An for the film Inside the shell of a yellow cocoon;

  • The award for the best screenplay went to Nick Pinkerton Sweet East;

  • The jury gave a special distinction to the production Totemdirected by Lila Alviles.

The jury of the 19th Bucharest International Film Festival included: directors Yulia Rugina, Katrinel Danayatse and film critics Shaima Issaa, Gunnar Bergdahl (president of the BIFF 2023 jury) and Dejan Petrovic.

The Bucharest International Film Festival is organized by the Charter Fund and the Grigore Vasiliu Birlic Cultural Association under the patronage of Prince Radu of Romania and is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Capital City Hall through the ARCUB Cultural Center of the Bucharest Municipality.