Kontinental '25

Last updated

Kontinental '25
Kontinental '25 film poster.jpg
Festival release poster
Directed by Radu 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 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 .

Contents

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

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

Themes

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

Release

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

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 97% of 31 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

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipientResultRef.
Berlin International Film Festival 23 February 2025 Golden Bear Kontinental '25Nominated [29]
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay Radu Jude Won [30]
Luxembourg City Film Festival 16 March 2025The Grand PrixKontinental '25Nominated [31]
Chicago International Film Festival 24 October 2025 Golden HugoNominated [32]
Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress Eszter TompaWon [33]

References

  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 7 December 2025. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  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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