Romania, 35 Years On

officelondon
Dec 13, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jul 30

The Resurgence of History

Romanian Cultural Institute in London marked 35 years since the Romanian Revolution and the fall of communism with a powerful evening at 1 Belgrave Square. The event featured the Private View of the “35 Years and One Day” exhibition and the much-anticipated screening of Tudor Giurgiu’s „Libertateˮ/ "Freedom" (2023).

We were honoured to welcome director Tudor Giurgiu for the screening of his thrilling film in front of a packed house. The audience was captivated by this gripping portrayal of the Revolution, and the post-screening Q&A session led by RCI London Director Aura Woodward was proof that the film had stirred complex emotions and interrogations, resonating deeply with everyone.

"Tudor Giurgiu paints a realistic picture of the revolutionary chaos and turmoil, questions the established narratives and, most importantly, makes a thrilling film that grabs viewers’ attention, elicits an emotional response and leaves a lasting impression." - Marko Stojiljković, Cineuropa.

Alongside the screening of Tudor Giurgiu's „Libertateˮ/ "Freedom" (2023), RCI London inaugurated “35 Years and One Day” in the presence of Dr. Mioara Anton, Director of the "Nicolae Iorga" Institute of History. Curated in collaboration with The Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes and the Memory of the Romanian Exile/ Institutul de Investigare a Crimelor Comunismului, the exhibition sheds light on the hardships and struggles endured under communism and the resilience of those who fought for freedom.

The evening began with a keynote address from HE Mrs. Laura Popescu, Romania’s Ambassador to the UK, followed by an intervention from Dr. Mioara Anton, Director of the "Nicolae Iorga" Institute of History.

At the end of the evening, in an act of restitution, the memory of the 1290 men, women and children whose sacrifice has changed the destiny of a whole nation was honoured by all those present. Together with our visitors, we paid homage to our heroes and symbolically tied ribbons in the colours of Romania's flag to the outdoor railings displaying the exhibition.

The exhibition is on at 1 Belgrave Square until the end of February 2025.

A heartfelt thank you to our special guests and to everyone who joined us to honour history!

Many thanks to Alex Coman for the photos and to Leo Bacica for the outdoor lighting.

Photography by Alex Coman