Jude returns to the spotlight with ‘Kontinental ‘25’, premiering at the 75th Berlinale in the official competition, marking another major succes for Saga Film.
Romanian director Radu Jude returns to the Berlin International Film Festival with his new feature film ‘Kontinental ‘25’. Produced by Saga Film in collaboration with partners from Brazil, Switzerland, the UK, and Luxembourg, the film has been included in the official competition of the 75th Berlinale, which runs from February 13 to 23, 2025.
The story follows Orsolya, a bailiff in Cluj, the main city in Transylvania. One day she must evict a homeless man who lives in the basement of a building. An unexpected event creates a moral crisis she tries to solve as best she can. With a blend of dark humor and social commentary, ‘Kontinental ‘25’ explores issues such as the housing crisis, nationalism, and economic inequality in post-socialist Europe. Jude, known for his distinctive and provocative style, previously won the Golden Bear at Berlinale for ‘Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn.’
International sales for ‘Kontinental ‘25’ are being handled by Paris based company Luxbox, who have praised the film’s relevance and artistic impact. “‘Kontinental ’25’ is both timely and timeless, skillfully exploring human morality through an incisively funny social satire, with just the right touch of absurdity.” said Luxbox CEO Fiorella Moretti, CEO & Jennyfer Gautier, head of international sales in a join statement.
Alex Teodorescu, producer at Saga Film said, “Jumping into this project was a spontaneous and daring endeavor. The reality is that it took us just a few minutes to fully commit to the project, and less than a month passed between the moment Radu approached me with his idea and the first day of shooting. The challenges of conflicting production schedules, time restrictions for pre-production and production, and limited resources all faded away when compared to the will and dedication of our crew, whose efforts and energy were vital for the completion of this independent film. ‘Kontinental ’25’ reflects Radu Jude’s distinct cinema style. We are proud to present the film at its world premiere in the official competition of Berlinale’s 75th edition and to contribute to the dialogue inspired by its themes.”
The ensemble cast includes Eszter Tompa, Gabriel Spahiu, Adonis Tanța, Șerban Pavlu, Oana Mardare, and Annamária Biluska, among others. The film’s technical team features Marius Panduru as director of photography, Cătălin Cristuțiu as editor, and Matei Teodorescu handling the music. Cristian Ștefănescu oversaw sound editing, while Alexandru Dumitru managed sound mixing at Chainsaw Europe. Production design was led by Andreea Popa, costumes by Cireșica Cuciuc, and Vlad Semenescu contributed as production manager. Executive producers include Ramona Grama, Dan Wechsler, Jamal Zeinal-Zade, Andreas Roald, Berta Marchiori, Fernanda Frotté, Paul Thiltges, and Adrien Chef, with Alex Teodorescu and Rodrigo Teixeira as producers. The film is a Saga Film production, co-produced with RT Features, Bord Cadre films, Sovereign Films, and Paul Thiltges Distributions, supported by UPFAR-ARGOA.
‘Kontinental ‘25’ will be screened at Berlinale on February 19, 22, and 23 at venues including Berlinale Palast, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, and Uber Eats Music Hall. The film’s premiere event will be attended by the creative delegation with support from the Romanian National Film Centre, the Romanian Cultural Institute in Berlin, Dacin Sara, and the Romanian Filmmakers’ Union.