Romanian film review – Bold and Caring: BIEFF 2025

There is so much happening at once in Bucharest these days, it is an embarrassment of riches. The Bucharest International Film Festival (BIFF) has been screening fiction and documentary features while Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival (BIEFF) showcases experimental cinema, both recent and archival. They might sound irritatingly similar – abbreviations can be such a trap – but they couldn't be more different. The overlapping period is not ideal and probably due to scheduling and funding-related reasons – the intricacies of festival logistics are deep and would derails this column but I’ll keep them in mind for a separate one – but I had no problem making BIEFF my choice for its outspokenness, its relevance, its dedication to works that are niche for much many, and its welcoming spirit.

The two days spent at the fest were painfully briefly but rewarding, both film-wise and for feeling included in a passionate, caring community. This is what BIEFF has been doing so well and what sets it apart from many festivals: emphasising the need for the collective, the dedicated, the politically conscious and brave. This year more than ever with the focus on two filmmakers’ collectives and in their ticketing policy: there were several types of passes, for individual financial affordability. A caring, inclusive decision. I remain so very moved by BIEFF and its team.