The Romanian Film Festival in Israel Returns

Not just for those of Romanian descent and speakers of the language: The Romanian Film Festival in Israel, which has become a blessed annual tradition, was postponed from its original May date due to the war and is about to open its 2026 edition in October. The festival will take place at the cinematheques of Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Holon, Herzliya, Sderot, and Rosh Pina. This year features a new development: the first collaboration with the 'Cinema City' and 'Movieland' chains.

The opening will take place on Tuesday, October 13, at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.

The festival is the result of a collaboration between 'Moviemania,' managed by Iris Lackner, and the Romanian Cultural Institute in Tel Aviv, the Romanian Embassy in Israel, and the Romanian Consulate in Haifa.

Iris Lackner, curator and festival director: "The 2026 edition of the Romanian Film Festival in Israel brings with it everything that concerns Romanians today: what happens at home and what happens outside the borders, what happens within the family and what happens in society itself. There is much focus on the present but without forgetting the past, all through breathtaking landscapes, a variety of genres, and heroes of all ages. In this edition, for the first time in the festival, audiences can also enjoy films by four young female directors who found their own original ways to tell a story."

The films in the festival:

Opening Film - "Katana": The most colorful and spectacular of all ten in this edition, set in a small village in the Apuseni Mountains, where residents find a way to outsmart the authorities until the authorities surprise them back (Inspiration: Wes Anderson meets Kusturica).
"Just Us": A fascinating drama about the fate of children whose parents decide to work abroad for long periods, forced to cope with everything life throws at them – beautifully filmed with excellent acting from the children and teenagers.
"Cometogen": Winner of the Screenplay Award at the Gopo Awards (the Romanian Oscars), it tells the story of a single mother who will do anything to save her teenage son from going to prison, as the full story is revealed through four points of view from the four main characters.
"Heist of the Century": Based on a true story with a script written by Cristian Mungiu, it tells the story of friends who find themselves angry at the treatment of "foreign" workers in the Netherlands and decide to take revenge through a robbery that shocked all of Europe at the time.
"Three Days in September": Brings the consequences of a story about betrayal revealed just before a wedding – which from that moment becomes a nocturnal journey with black humor, many insights, and continuous, dizzying 78-minute cinematography.
"Classat": Made as a mockumentary, it reveals discoveries about the death of an employee in a company specializing in AI through an investigation by a motivated independent journalist seeking the truth.
"The Dream": Presents the aspirations of a frustrated actor to produce the classic play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," when its realization happens within prison walls with inmates who also have plans of their own.
"A Safe Place": Starts as a quiet drama about a vacation of two families on the shores of Bulgaria, continues with thoughts on lost dreams, and takes a twist with a dramatic incident during its course.
"The Law School Guys": Driven by a group of law students who discover the value of friendship, loyalty, and how the wheels of justice turn by assisting in a case for a friend in need of help.

"Jews for Export – The Dark Trade of the Cold War": An historical documentary revealing the unbelievable story of the sale of Romanian Jews through trade agreements and interests between several entities and countries.

The festival will include several events surrounding various films:

* The screening of the historical documentary "Jews for Export: The Dark Trade of the Cold War" will be in collaboration with the A.M.I.R. organization – the United Organization of Romanian Jews in Israel – which will hold a discussion after the screening in the presence of the director, Pierre Goetschel, and Dr. Radu Ioanid – a historian who researched the topic and currently serves as the Romanian Ambassador to Israel. Meetings with the audience will take place at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, Jerusalem Cinematheque, and Movieland Haifa.

* The producer of the film "Cometogen," Cristian Gogu, will attend the film's premiere at the cinematheques of Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Haifa, and Jerusalem and will meet with the audience.

* During the festival, a traveling exhibition will be displayed among the cinematheques featuring photos of Hollywood stars born in Romania or of Romanian descent.

* During the festival days, there will be a special lecture by Iris Lackner – the festival's curator and producer, who is also a lecturer and researcher. It will focus on prominent women in the Romanian film industry, from the four female directors whose films are shown in the 2026 edition to producers, documentary directors, and actresses.

Opening on Tuesday, October 13, at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.

(Photo: Courtesy of the festival production)