First showcase of Radu Jude's Dracula to take place at the Anonimul Film Festival in Romania
In the world of cinema, two eagerly awaited films are set to make their mark. The Romanian director Radu Jude's Dracula and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's Jeunes Mères are scheduled for release and premieres at prestigious film festivals.
Dracula, a contemporary take on the Dracula legend, promises to be a unique blend of Gothic horror and experimental science-fiction elements. Set and shot in Transylvania, the film follows a sheriff’s bailey as she attempts to evict an old man from an abandoned building. The story delves into the complexities of Romanian and European identity in 2025, involving a vampire hunt, zombies amidst a strike, and a futuristic return of Vlad the Impaler.
The genre of Dracula can be categorised as Gothic horror with experimental and possibly science-fiction influences, merging the classic myth with current-day and speculative thematic elements. The film will have its world premiere at the 2025 Locarno Film Festival, held from August 6 to 16, and it is also slated for competition screening at the 2025 Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival), debuting there in early February 2025.
Meanwhile, Jeunes Mères is scheduled for release in local cinemas on October 10, 2025, and will open the Anonimul International Film Festival in Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania, from August 11 to August 17. The film received the Best Screenplay Award and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Anonimul Film Festival features a mix of five directorial voices from Romania, Georgia, Norway, Turkey, and Poland in its feature film competition. Other screenings at the festival include Dad, Tooth and Nail/ După cioate, and Traffic, the second feature film by Teodora Ana Mihai, which is based on a real burglary case that occurred at the Kunsthal Rotterdam in October 2012.
Radu Jude's Kontinental '25 will also be screened at the Anonimul International Film Festival, but outside of the competition. Jude recently won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for Kontinental '25 this year. The festival has feature film and two short film competitions for both Romanian and international productions.
The upcoming films Dracula and Jeunes Mères offer a fresh, local perspective on their respective stories, merging historical legends with social and cultural commentary in a modern context. These films are sure to captivate audiences and generate much-deserved attention in the world of cinema.
The upcoming movies Dracula and Jeunes Mères are significant additions to the world of entertainment, particularly the movies-and-tv genre, as they offer unique interpretations of classic legends while offering commentary on contemporary social and cultural issues. The Gothic horror film Dracula, directed by Radu Jude, will be premiering at the 2025 Locarno Film Festival and Berlinale, while Jeunes Mères is set for release in October 2025 and will open the Anonimul International Film Festival, showcasing the best of Romanian and international cinema.
