CÂMP DE MACI/POPPY FIELD
Sunday, June 5, 1:00 pm
Miracle Theatre
535 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003
Director: Eugen Jebeleanu, 2020, subtitles, 81 minutes
Planning to spend a romantic weekend with his long-distance boyfriend, Cristi’s tender reunion is cut short when he is called in to handle a crisis at work. Cristi is a member of the Bucharest police force, and his unit is sent to quell a protest at a local movie theater, where a far-right group has interrupted the screening of a queer film. As tensions between the homophobic protesters and the audience mount, Cristi, closeted to his fellow officers, begins to spiral out of control when he spots a former fling in the crowd. A violent outburst threatens to expose Cristi’s secret and forces him to confront the contradictions between his personal and professional life. Inspired by true events, POPPY FIELD “reveals aspects of the wider damage done by prejudice that are rarely seen onscreen” (Eye for Film) and is a “worthy entry into the Romanian New Wave” (Art House Street).
The first feature film directed by the acknowledged theatre director Eugen Jebeleanu, working in Romania, Germany and France. Since 2010, his creative projects have been centered around political and social subjects and his artistic endeavor has been focused on giving voice to anonymous individuals, to those who don’t adhere to the dominant culture and revolt against systems that censor freedom of expression. Actor Conrad Mericoffer has his first leading role in a feature film. The first screenplay for a feature film written by Ioana Moraru. The film’s cinematographer, Marius Panduru, is one of the most accomplished Romanian directors of photography, who collaborated with directors such as Corneliu Porumboiu, Cătălin Mitulescu, Ruxandra Zenide, Radu Jude, Nae Caranfil, Alex Iordăchescu, Stere Gulea, Florin Șerban, Bogdan George Apetri, Robert Budina, Tudor Giurgiu, Mehmet Can Mertoğlu, Mihaela Popescu, Uberto Pasolini and Teodora Ana Mihai.
Selections, nominations & awards:
- Best Actor (Conrad Mericoffer) – Gijón IFF 2020;
- Best Actor (Conrad Mericoffer) – Torino FF 2020;
- “Sunny Bunny” Award (Best LGBTQ+ Film) - Molodist Kyiv FF 2021;
- Best Director & Audience Award – Transilvania IFF 2021;
- Best First Film - Namur IF of French-Speaking Film 2021;
- Audience Award - Oslo/Fusion IFF 2021;
- Talent Award – D’A FF Barcelona 2021;
- Jury Prize & Merlinka Queer Film Award – FEST IFF 2021;
- Tallinn Black Nights FF 2020 (First Features competition;world premiere);
- Glasgow FF 2021 (competition);
- London LGBTQIA+ FF - BFI Flare 2021 (competition);
- San Francisco IFF 2021 (New Directors competition);
- Inside Out Toronto LGBT FF 2021 (competition);
- Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay FF 2021;
- Prague IFF – Febiofest 2021;
- Taipei FF 2021; Hamburg FF 2021;
- FEST - New Directors/New FF 2021 (competition);
- Montclair FF (Future/Now competition);
- MIX Copenhagen LGBTQ+ FF 2021;
- Thessaloniki IFF 2021;
- Paris Chéries-Chéris FF 2021 (competition);
- Amsterdam LGBTQ+ FF - Roze Filmdagen 2021;
- Sarasota FF 2022;
- Best First Film & Best Supporting Actor (Alexandru Potocean) awards and other five nominations (Best Film, Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Screenplay & Best Cinematography) - Gopo Awards 2022