Cristian Mungiu-Penned ‘Traffic,’ Directed by Teodora Ana Mihai, Wins at Warsaw Film Festival

Teodora Ana Mihai’s “Traffic” was named the winner of the 40th Warsaw Film Festival on Saturday. The film was written by Cristian Mungiu, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes with “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” and stars “Happening” lead actor Anamaria Vartolomei.

“Traffic” focuses on Romanian immigrants in Belgium, who go from unwanted second-class citizens to very much wanted criminals, as they decide to stage a heist that will change their lives forever.

You can watch the trailer here:

“I was excited about the opportunity to work closely with Cristian Mungiu, as he was also co-producing the project. I anticipated it would be an intense and challenging experience, but I don’t shy away from challenges, as I demonstrated with [previous film] ‘La Civil,’” Mihai told Variety.

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“I believe Cristian and I have always shared a similar understanding of the themes explored in this film, which camouflages a deep issue of East versus West, rich versus poor miscommunication with a story that ironically references gangster movies. This dynamic reflects societies that today bear the burden of colonial guilt, alongside those that possess the assertive – if not aggressive – energy of historical oppression.”

According to the director, there’s much more to Romanian cinema than the acclaimed Romanian New Wave.

“I believe many local filmmakers are experimenting with new stories and styles, regardless of external expectations. This includes its ‘founding members,’ because a New Wave can easily become an Old Wave if it turns into a formula that stifles the freedom to experiment,” she added.

“I think we can all agree that Cristian, a key figure in the Romanian New Wave, takes a daring leap with this script and experiments with its narrative while maintaining his distinct voice and consistent themes.”

Mungiu said: “There’s an over-production of films, globally. There are also some trends that tend to impose a dictatorship of politically correct topics. It’s very sad, because it became incredibly difficult to make room for anything which is not formatted or dares to quote points of view about the global society which we prefer to ignore instead of trying to understand.”

The film was awarded PLN 100,000, courtesy of the Mayor of Warsaw. Jurors Maryna Er Gorbach, Oana Iancu, Anna Kazejak, Vinko Brešan and Alberto Triano also noticed Anatol Schuster’s work on “Chaos and Silence,” naming him best director, and Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo’s script for “Lioness.”

“In Good Faith” by Frauke Lodders triumphed in the Competition 1-2 – with Nikol Cibulya’s “Tomorrow I Die” getting the Special Mention. Free Spirit Award went to “The Black Hole” by Moonika Siimets, with jurors also noticing Alexandre Rockwell’s “Lump.”

Best documentary feature award was given to “War Correspondent” by Benjamin Tuček and David Čálek, while Guan Hu’s “Black Dog” – called by Variety “a resonant, visually resplendent China-noir about taming the mad dog within” – convinced jurors of the Crème de la Crème Competition and NETPAC.

“Traffic” was also the closing film at the fest, which opened on Oct. 11 with the screening of “Kulej. All that Glitters Isn’t Gold” by Xavery Żuławski, about a Polish boxer, famous in the 1960s.

“The idea came from the late champion’s son, Waldemar, who brought the idea to Watchout Studio. Two-time Olympic champion and winner of two gold medals, Kulej was simply a legend – he was such a celebrity under socialism. People talked about him, quoted him. There was no hesitation on my part. It was necessary to make a film about the master,” said Żuławski.

“Later, while writing the script, we discovered his wife Helena. For 60 years, she has lived in the complete shadow of her untamed husband. Her struggle for identity and her attempt to free herself also became a part of the film.”

“Any film, whether arthouse or commercial, is difficult to make. Each project requires us, creators, to be fully committed and face the problems that arise in its path, regardless of the genre.”

Warsaw Film Festival will wrap on Oct. 20.

Full list of awards:

International Competition

Warsaw Grand Prix (together with PLN 100,000):
“Traffic,” dir. Teodora Ana Mihai (Romania, Belgium, Netherlands)

Best Director
Anatol Schuster for “Chaos and Silence” (Germany)

Special Jury Award for Screenwriter
Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo for “Lioness” (Estonia, Germany, Latvia)

Competition 1-2

Winner
“In Good Faith,” dir. Frauke Lodders (Germany)

Special Mention
“Tomorrow I Die,” dir. Nikol Cibulya (Hungary)

Free Spirit Competition

Free Spirit Award
“The Black Hole,” dir. Moonika Siimets (Estonia, Finland)

Special Mention
“Lump,” dir. Alexandre Rockwell (U.S.)

Crème de la Crème Competition

Crème de la Crème Award
“Black Dog,” dir. Guan Hu (China)

Special Mention
“Red Path,” dir. Lotfi Achour (Tunisia, France, Belgium, Poland)

Documentary Competition

Best Documentary Feature Award
“War Correspondent,” dir. Benjamin Tuček, David Čálek (Czech Republic, Ukraine, Slovakia)

Special Mention
“Made in Ethiopia,” dir. Xinyan Yu, Max Duncan (Canada, Ethiopia, U.S., U.K.)

Special Mention
“Beyond Rock Bottom,” dir. Ádám Miklós (Hungary)

NETPAC Award
“Black Dog,” dir. Guan Hu (China)

Ecumenical Jury Award
“Bitter Gold,” dir. Juan Francisco Olea (Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, Germany)

Honorable Mention
“My Late Summer,” dir. Danis Tanović (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia)

FIPRESCI Award
“Ink Wash,” dir. Sarra Tsorakidis

Young FIPRESCI Award
“The Crossroads,” dir. Dominika Montean-Pańków (Poland)

Short Film Competition
Short Grand Prix
“Service,” dir. Michał Edelman (Poland)

Best Live Action Short
“All That Remains,” dir. Andrei Redinciuc (Romania)

Special Mention (Live Action)
“Amos, Vogel,” dir. Iñaki Salvador García Miranda (Mexico)

Best Animated Short
“Mautini,” dir. Tabarak Allah Abbas (Switzerland)

Best Documentary Short
“Run Monnie, Run,” dir. Karolina Biesiacka (Poland)