Ro-IFF is organized under the High Patronage of the Romanian President and it is the only international film festival that, from the very beginning, looked towards the Black Sea region's film industry (Russia, Moldavian Republic, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Romania). Ro-IFF is also the only festival focusing on the activity of women Directors in Cinema.
But the most important thing about the RO-IFF is its very existence, despite the ridiculous amount of increasingly reduced financing, which the National Centre of Cinematography CA approves for its production, and thus to promote film literacy and Romania's image around the world. For the same reason, movie fans cannot enjoy free access to festival, as they did at the previous editions, nor can we submit as many films.
Even under these conditions, RO-IFF enjoys international recognition, which helped us to enjoy, this year as well, guests which are notable presences of world cinema, films and Oscar-winning directors.
This year, we will try to make a more visible festival, more alive, even if, for financial reasons, it will be a smaller one!

DO NOT BURY CULTURE!

The "Artis Foundation" is the organizer of the "Romania International Film Festival". Founded in 2005, it is the only international film festival that, from the very beginning, looked towards the Black Sea region's film industry (Russia, Moldavian Republic, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Romania).
Initially founded for the film productions mentioned above, due to its growth in 2009, another competition section was added – Woman in cinema. In the same year we chose the name Ro-IFF, a name that best represents us.

The festival has grown every year and became noticed abroad due to its original concept, the quality of the submitted movies as well as the events included in the official program. Since 2007 each edition is held under the High Patronage of the Romanian President.

The 2009 edition, held in Arad, enjoyed the highest attention from the foreign press. It has also been the edition with the largest number of films and most guests, about 70 films and about 60 special guests attended the festival. Emir Kusturica and his "No Smoking Orchestra" band opened the festival and received the Award of Excellence. The closure was marked by the presence in Arad of the Oscar winning actor Kevin Costner. Together with his band, "Modern West", Kevin held a concert, the first of the European tour he had in 2009. Emy Dragoi had an interesting program including live music overlapped with images of silent movies - Charlie Chaplin films. The closing gala brought on stage Cornelia Tihon, performing traditional music from the winning films countries by using traditional Romanian instruments,.

The 2010 edition had over 100 films and about 60 guests from abroad. It was attended by directors, actors, producers and directors of other international festivals. It was a spectacular edition by the mean of collateral events: Nicola Piovanni and Abba Generation live, and a workshop offered by Eurimages.

Thenceforth, Ro-IFF aims at promoting art cinema, promoting productions coming from the Black Sea region and Women's director. We believe that the emergence of ladies in this profession brought a greater sensitivity to the seventh art. Ro-IFF will present some of the most important annual films of the moment. But Ro-IFF is primarily a festival of films for the public. Official selection of films, whether competing or not, will allure you into theaters!

The sixth edition of the festival, the second under the name Ro-IFF will be held from October 1 to October 10 in Bucharest.

"Artis Foundation" was founded in 1998 and has as main objectives the support and promotion of culture, young people active in culture, including the young filmmakers, distribution and promotion of European and the Black Sea region's cinema values, an area with high cultural diversity and great cultural potential.