On October 8 at 6:30 PM at Jam Factory Art Center, we will be screening the Romanian historical tragicomedy “The New Year That Never Came” — a film about a single day that changed the fate of a country.
About the film
December 1989. The Ceaușescu regime is in its final days. Across Romania, the first mass protests against the dictatorship are breaking out, violently suppressed by the authorities, though news reaches Bucharest only in fragments. During this tense time, the lives of six people intertwine in a tragicomic chaos. A factory worker panics over a letter his son writes to Santa Claus, revealing that his father wants Ceaușescu dead. An actress tries to avoid participating in a New Year’s show dedicated to the dictator, while a TV producer struggles to save the broadcast. Meanwhile, his son plans to flee the country — watched by a secret service agent who is himself dealing with a stubborn mother refusing to move to a new apartment.
Why you should watch
The film weaves six stories into a single nerve-wracking day — the 24 hours leading up to the Romanian Revolution. It’s a precise and striking portrait of the era, showing how fragile a dictatorship can be and how unexpectedly its end can begin. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the top award in the Orizzonti section — the second most prestigious category after the main competition.
RegistrationAbout the director
The film’s director, Bogdan Mureșanu, is a Romanian screenwriter and director. He began his career in literature, worked in advertising, and later devoted himself to cinema. He is the author of acclaimed short films Half Shaved and The Christmas Gift.
“The New Year That Never Came” is his debut feature-length film.
The event takes place as part of the “Neighbors’ Cinema” program, with support from the Visegrad Fund and the Romanian Cultural Institute.
Date: October 8, 6:30 PM
Location: Lviv, 124 Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, “Auditorium” Hall
Free entry with prior registration.
RegistrationThe film is shown in Romanian with Ukrainian subtitles.