Romania

[RO] National Film Institute Established

IRIS 2013-9:1/22

Eugen Cojocariu

Radio Romania International

On 26 June 2013, the Romanian Government adopted the Ordonanţa de Urgenţă nr. 72/2013 privind reorganizarea unor instituţii publice aflate în subordinea Ministerului Culturii (Emergency Decree no. 72/2013 on reorganisation of public institutions subordinated to the Ministry of Culture), which establishes the Institutul Naţional al Filmului (National Film Institute - INF).

According to the Decree, the Arhiva Naţională de Filme (National Film Archives), the Studioul de Creaţie cinematografică (Cinematographic Creation Studio) and the Studioul Video Art (Video Art Studio - formerly Editura Video) will be merged into INF, and subordinated to the Ministry of Culture of Romania.

According to a Draft Government Decision on the establishment and the functioning of the INF, which will complement the Emergency Decree no. 72/2013, the INF will also include the Cinemateca Română (Romanian Cinematheque) and the Film Restoration Laboratory.

The INF will be the legal storage facility for cinematographic films of all kinds: film, film materials and documents on the history of the national and worldwide cinematography (including original scripts, posters, photos, music scores, books and other publications, film reviews, technical equipment with historical, documentation and technical value, primary or intermediary film materials, and positive copies of foreign films, etc.). The INF will carry out the duties of the three former institutions. The merged INF will then focus on the evidence, the collection, conservation, restoration and the valorisation of the cinematographic heritage. The INF is also intended to support features, documentaries and short films, TV series, along with co-productions and to provide services for foreign partners.

The INF can set up branches of the Cinemateca Română throughout the country, in order to support the cinematographic culture of the people. In Romania and abroad, the Institute will have to buy film copies, documents and other objects of significant cultural, documentary, scientific, technical or artistic value, including those held by private collectors. The INF has to organise film festivals and events in Romania and abroad. The new body also will have to document Romania’s cinematography by means of publishing books and other works.

The INF is taking over the 84,500 square metre premises of the National Film Archives in Jilava, near Bucharest, and three cinemas (Eforie, Union and Studio) in Bucharest. The INF will be funded from its own revenues and by state budget subsidies.