IFC ushers in 'Golden Age'

Mungiu wrote Un Certain Regard film

By SHARON SWART

Before the curtain rose on opening night at Cannes, IFC Films grabbed U.S. distribution rights to Un Certain Regard screener "Tales From the Golden Age."

Cristian Mungiu, whose 2007 Palme d'Or winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" was also distributed by IFC, wrote the pic.

"Tales," comprising six short stories about Romanian urban legends from the communist era, is collectively directed by Ioana Uricaru, Hanno Hofer, Razvan Marculescu, Constantin Popescu and Mungiu.

"('Tales' is) an episodic and collective film, and brings together five members of the same generation, who enjoyed restoring, re-using and re-conditioning their own memories from the times of their sleepless nights at parties, endless food queues and VCR get-togethers," Mungiu said. "I am very glad that IFC Films decided to stay close to me and continue the difficult work of presenting Romanian films in the U.S. (It) will give us the possibility to show the American audience that we can also make comedies. Working with IFC feels like revisiting old friends."

IFC Entertainment prexy Jonathan Sehring said, "(Mungiu is) one of the world's most distinct voices and he's made an incredibly entertaining film with the help of some wonderful new talents. Though quite different in tone, we think this is going to be a great follow-up to our success with '4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.' "

Deal was negotiated by IFC's acquisitions head Arianna Bocco and Wild Bunch's Carole Baraton.

IFC  will release the film in 2010.

-- Sharon Swart