TRAFFIC

Special guests (online): Cristian Mungiu, Teodora Ana Mihai

A heist drama, written and produced by Cristian Mungiu and directed by Teodora Ana Mihai, starring Anamaria Vartolomei, Ionuț Niculae and Rareș Andrici, Traffic follows a group of Romanian immigrants in Belgium who decide to pull off a robbery that could change their lives forever. Inspired by the 2012 theft of paintings by Picasso, Monet, and Gauguin from a Dutch museum, the film is acclaimed for its stellar cast — particularly Anamaria Vartolomei’s performance — and its complex storytelling, which blends black comedy, social satire, and political commentary.

Director Teodora Ana Mihai

Teodora Ana Mihai is a Belgian-Romanian filmmaker born in Bucharest, known for her distinctive blend of social realism and visual poetry. She gained international recognition with her debut documentary Waiting for August, before making her first narrative feature La Civil, which won the Un Certain Regard – Prix de l’Audace (Audacity Award) at Cannes in 2021.

Awards: Warsaw Grand Prix – Warsaw Film Festival; Best Actress (Anamaria Vartolomei) – Tokyo International Film Festival; Balkan Film Award – Sofia International Film Festival; Audience Award – Shanghai International Film Award.