Romanian film review – Gazing into the Past: Il Cinema Ritrovato & TIFF

June is the richest month. The most awaited two weeks in my annual festival pilgrimage. The route starts with Romania’s Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF), followed by Italy’s (and the world’s) most comprehensive festival for restored and archival film: Il Cinema Ritrovato. To shake up the traditional article on the two, I’ll start with the most recent impressions this time.

Il Cinema Ritrovato, in the city of Bologna, means “cinema rediscovered”, a most concise description. Not exhaustive though because Il Cinema Ritrovato is a marvel of curation and a highlight of the year for cinephiles. The proof is the steady and visible rise in attendees and a touchingly loyal base; many having returned for decades. Bologna is one of the most important places for restoring film material, with its specialised labs, and the festival highlights both its work and invites other centres to present theirs. A mix of earliest recorded images, archival finds and restorations, as well as more recent classics, it's a true embarrassment of riches.