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Kontinental '25

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Kontinental '25
Festival release poster
Directed byRadu Jude
Written byRadu Jude
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMarius Panduru
Edited byCătălin Cristutiu
Music byMatei Teodorescu
Production
companies
  • Saga Film
  • RT Features
  • Bord Cadre Films
  • Sovereign Films
  • Paul Thiltges Distributions
Distributed bySovereign Films (UK)[1]
Release date
  • February 19, 2025 (2025-02-19) (Berlin)
Running time
109 minutes
Countries
  • Romania
  • Brazil
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • Luxembourg
Languages
  • Romanian
  • Hungarian
  • German

Kontinental '25 is a 2025 Romanian absurdist black comedy-drama film written and directed by Radu Jude. It stars Eszter Tompa as a bailiff in Cluj-Napoca who faces a moral crisis when a homeless man she has evicted kills himself. Its title is inspired by the Roberto Rossellini film Europe '51.

An international co-production between Romania, Brazil, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg, the film premiered on 19 February 2025 at the Berlin International Film Festival,[2] where it won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay.[3]

Synopsis

[edit]

In Cluj-Napoca, bailiff Orsolya evicts a homeless man living in the basement of a building, leading to his suicide. Consumed by guilt, Orsolya begins a desperate search for understanding.

Cast

[edit]
  • Eszter Tompa as Orsolya
  • Gabriel Spahiu as Ion
  • Adonis Tanța as Fred
  • Oana Mardare as Dorina
  • Șerban Pavlu as Priest Șerban
  • Annamária Biluska as Orsolya's mother
  • Adrian Sitaru
  • Marius Damian
  • Nicodim Ungureanu
  • Ilinca Manolache as Irina
  • Dan Ursu
  • Vlad Semenescu
  • Daniel Paleacu
  • Theodor Graur
  • Marius Panduru

Themes

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The film examines Romania's housing crisis, post-socialist economics, and nationalism. The protagonist's moral ambiguity reflects contemporary societal malaise.[4][5]

Release

[edit]

Kontinental '25 had its world premiere on 19 February 2025, as part of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, in Competition.[6][7][8]

Paris-based Luxbox acquired the sales rights of the film in January 2025.[9]

It competed in the official competition Grand Prix competition at the Luxembourg City Film Festival on 8 March, 2025.[10][11]

The film was also screened at the CPH:DOX 2025 documentary film festival in PARA:FICTIONS section in March 2025.[12]

The film was screened in Les Auteurs at the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 12 April 2025.[13][14]

The film featured at the 72nd Sydney Film Festival in the Features section on 4 June 2025.[15] The film was also part of Horizons section of the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it was screened from 4 July to 10 July 2025.[16] In August it was showcased at the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival in 'In Focus' section.[17]

The film also made it to the Main Slate of the 2025 New York Film Festival, where it had its North American Premiere on 4 October 2025.[18] The film was screened in 'The Essentials' for its North American Premiere at the 2025 Festival du nouveau cinéma on 9 October 2025.[19]

On 11 October 2025, it was presented in Panorama section of 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival.[20] It was also presented in 'Strands: Debate' section of the 2025 BFI London Film Festival on 17 October 2025.[21][22]

It competed in the International Feature Competition of the 61st Chicago International Film Festival for Golden Hugo on 19 October 2025.[23][24]

It was also screened in International Perspective at the São Paulo International Film Festival on 17 October 2025.[25] It will be presented in 'From The Festivals - 2025' section of the 56th International Film Festival of India in November 2025.[26]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 37 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10.[27] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[28]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 23 February 2025 Golden Bear Kontinental '25 Nominated [29]
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay Radu Jude Won [30]
Luxembourg City Film Festival 16 March 2025 The Grand Prix Kontinental '25 Nominated [31]
Chicago International Film Festival 24 October 2025 Golden Hugo Nominated [32]
Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress Eszter Tompa Won [33]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kontinental '25 (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  2. ^ Rosser, Michael (21 January 2025). "Berlin film festival reveals 2025 competition line-up 2025". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  3. ^ Ntim, Zac (22 February 2025). "Berlin Film Festival: Norwegian Film 'Dreams (Sex Love)' Wins Golden Bear, Andrew Scott & Rose Byrne Take Acting Honors — Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  4. ^ Radu Jude (24 January 2025). "Kontinental '25". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Kontinental '25". Saga Film. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  6. ^ Davide Abbatescianni (21 January 2025). "The Berlinale unveils the titles playing in its Competition and its Perspectives and Berlinale Special strands". Cineuropa. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  7. ^ Ntim, Zac (21 January 2025). "Berlin Film Festival Lineup: Richard Linklater, Jessica Chastain, A$AP Rocky & Marion Cotillard Movies Among Vibrant Selection". Deadline. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Kontinental '25". Berlinale. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  9. ^ Rebecca Leffler (21 January 2025). "Luxbox picks up Radu Jude's Berlin Competition feature 'Kontinental '25' (exclusive)". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Kontinental '25". Luxembourg City Film Festival. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  11. ^ Tómas Atli Einarsson (12 February 2025). "Luxembourg City Film Festival returns for 15th edition". Luxembourg Times. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Kontinental '25". CPH:DOX. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  13. ^ Shackleton, Liz (17 March 2025). "'The Brightest Sun', 'Pavane For An Infant' To Open HKIFF; Leos Carax & Ando Sakura Among Filmmakers Set To Attend". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Kontinental '25". HKIFF. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Kontinental '25". Sydney Film Festival. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  16. ^ "Catalogue of Films". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 20 June 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Introducing the In Focus programme of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival". Sarajevo Film Festival. 3 August 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  18. ^ "63rd New York Film Festival Main Slate Announced". Film at Lincoln Center. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Kontinental '25". Festival du Nouveau Cinéma. 23 September 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Panorama". Vancouver International Film Festival. 27 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  21. ^ Ntim, Zac (3 September 2025). "BFI London Film Festival: Chloé Zhao's 'Hamnet' & Kate Moss Biopic 'Moss & Freud' Among Headline Titles — Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  22. ^ "Kontinental '25". BFI London Film Festival. 3 September 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  23. ^ "First Look at the 61st Chicago International Film Festival". Chicago International Film Festival. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  24. ^ Jeremy Kay (10 September 2025). "'Sound Of Falling', 'Sirât', 'La Grazia' among Chicago international competition picks". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  25. ^ "Kontinental '25". São Paulo International Film Festival. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  26. ^ "From The Festivals - 2025". International Film Festival of India. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
  27. ^ "Kontinental '25". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 19 February 2026. Edit this at Wikidata
  28. ^ "Kontinental '25". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  29. ^ Scott Roxborough (21 January 2025). "Berlin Film Festival Lineup: Movies From Richard Linklater, Michel Franco, Hang Song-Soo in Competition (Full List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  30. ^ Scott Roxborough (22 February 2025). "Norwegian Queer Love Story 'Dreams' Wins 75th Berlin Film Festival (Full Winners List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  31. ^ "Official competition the Luxembourg City Film Festival". Luxembourg City Film Festival. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  32. ^ "Kontinental '25". Chicago International Film Festival. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  33. ^ "Festival Award Winners". Chicago International Film Festival. 24 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
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