Beyond Netflix and HBO Go, which are the most popular streaming platforms in Romania, there are multiple possibilities of watching films online, and the pandemic lockdown that led to cinemas closing down has catalized an even greater array of daring, demanding films, for anyone willing to watch them in a browser.
You may remain skeptical to hyped events such as We Are One, which samples the programming of Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Annecy, Sundance etc. to raise COVID relief funds and keep the brands alive. However, there are several platforms that are more modestly promoted but consistent and perfectly suited for cinephile delight:
Probably the most active and diverse arthouse platform, it makes available to its subscribers one rare film per day, while another one leaves the platform. Recently, MUBI made some of their “expired” film groupings available through their library.
Given that the greatest enemy of Romanian films is the frailty of their distribution, CINEPUB is a trustworthy ally. Romanian films, new and classic, shorts and features, freely available on YouTube.
Animations, music documentaries and interviews with industry veterans are some of the highlits of the NFB platform. Through the multiple categorized lists, staff recommendations and most widely seen selection, the NFB site is a model of digital archiving.
A VOD platform with an impressive history, to say the least – Gus van Sant, Jerome Hill, Benny Safdie, D.A. Pennebaker, Jonas Mekas, Claire Denis. One free film per week and unmissable editorial content. Where do David Perlov and John Huston meet? Apparently in Nadav Lapid’s personal canon.