Romania arrived at Cannes this year with a message that extended beyond the films screening across the festival lineup. Through a high-profile Marché du Film panel titled “Why Romania? Why Now?” industry representatives presented the country as an increasingly sophisticated international production partner eager to attract co-productions, servicing work and foreign investment.

Moderated by journalist Marta Bałaga, the discussion brought together representatives from across Romania’s film ecosystem, including members of the Romanian National Film Center (CNC), the Office for Film and Investments in Culture, producers’ organizations and post-production companies. Together, they outlined a portrait of an industry attempting to move beyond the legacy of the Romanian New Wave and position itself as a stable, globally-connected filmmaking territory.

Producer Iuliana Tarnovetchi reflected on how Romania has long struggled against outdated perceptions abroad, joking that industry professionals often found themselves clarifying that “Budapest is not Bucharest.” But according to CNC representative Ilinka Teodorescu, the country is becoming increasingly proactive in shaping its own narrative internationally.

“We’ve learned that we need to present ourselves differently and communicate our achievements, culture and history more clearly,” Teodorescu explained, pointing to Romania’s strong visibility throughout Cannes this year, both in official selections and across the market.

Several speakers described the current moment as a turning point for the local industry. Romanian Producers’ Alliance president Andrei Boncea argued that a new spirit of collaboration among producers has helped strengthen dialogue with public authorities and modernize key industry structures.

According to Boncea, producers who once operated largely independently are now working collectively to reform legislation and improve the country’s film financing system.

One of the topics of discussion was Romania’s revamped cash rebate system, which officials framed as essential to rebuilding international confidence after years of administrative instability and delayed payments. The country now offers a 30% rebate on eligible local expenditures through a program backed by an annual budget of approximately €55 million. The incentive has also been extended through 2031.

Valentin Savu, interim general manager of the Office for Film and Investments in Culture, emphasized the transparency of the new framework, describing a fully digitized process with fixed deadlines and direct coordination between authorities and producers.

The issue of trust remained unavoidable throughout the conversation. Tarnovetchi openly acknowledged the difficult period when reimbursements stalled entirely, creating uncertainty for foreign partners. But she argued that the industry is now far better organized and equipped to defend its interests collectively. Savu added that outstanding debts tied to the previous system have now been settled and confirmed that several productions have already successfully completed the reimbursement cycle under the revised structure.

The panel also highlighted Romania’s increasingly international approach to co-production. Producer Radu Stancu argued that Romanian companies are no longer confined to traditional East-West European financing models, but are instead building partnerships across Scandinavia, Latin America and Asia.

He described Romanian producers taking both majority and minority roles on projects spanning multiple continents, while upcoming legislative reforms may allow minority co-productions to receive support of up to €300,000 per project. For Stancu, Romania’s geographic and cultural flexibility has become one of its greatest advantages in today’s global market.

Post-production specialist Marius Leftarache pointed to another rapidly expanding sector: technical servicing and post-production. Romanian facilities, he explained, significantly increased their international reach during the pandemic as remote workflows became normalized. During that period, Romanian companies contributed post-production work to multiple Oscar-nominated films, helping demonstrate both reliability and technical expertise to international partners.

Leftarache also stressed the stability offered by many Romanian companies, noting that unlike some Western European facilities heavily dependent on freelancers, several Romanian post-production houses maintain permanent in-house teams capable of supporting long-term collaborations.

If Romanian cinema was once primarily associated with the minimalist realism of filmmakers like Cristian Mungiu and Cristi Puiu, the country’s message at Cannes this year suggested a broader ambition. Romania is no longer simply presenting itself as the home of a celebrated cinematic movement, but as a fully developed international production ecosystem seeking a larger role within the global film industry.