The Romanian film industry was born after World War II in the communist era. Although it was a period of oppression and terror, the human need to express itself through art rose above it and filtered through the cracks left by the government.
Because of the regime’s need for absolute control over the population, the communist government established a new department, the department of cenzură (censorship). Its sole purpose was to scrutinize all forms of public expression—books, newspapers, films, and theatre productions—to ensure they aligned with the government's ideology. Only after receiving approval from this department could creative works be released to the public.
However, as history has shown, the human desire to create is unstoppable, and no regime in the world can withstand it. Despite the severe restrictions, the Romanian film industry managed to create cinematic masterpieces from virtually nothing.
Under the regime of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, two of the first films to be released were:
As a faithful Stalinist, Gheorghiu-Dej promoted Soviet-style policies, such as collectivization and nationalization. These films glorified the regime, attempting to justify practices that, in reality, devastated Romanian farmers—stripping them of their land and forcing them to surrender much of their harvest to the state. Nationalization further extended government control by seizing private businesses and placing them under state ownership.
After the death of Gheorghiu-Dej and the rise of Nicolae Ceaușescu, the 1960s saw something of a turning point with the release of “Dacii”, directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu.
This film was made in collaboration with Franco-London Film, a French production company, marking a significant step forward for the Romanian film industry. Although it remained a propaganda piece meant to reinforce the idea of Romania’s Roman heritage—one of Ceaușescu’s key ideological narratives—this international collaboration gave the Romanian people a glimpse of hope regarding the future of cinema.
Following Ceaușescu’s “July Theses” of 1971, censorship tightened, and many productions became outright nationalist propaganda, worshipping Ceaușescu or the achievements of the Communist Party.
Despite these restrictions, some films managed to slip through as social satires, subtly critiquing the system while still being broadcast nationwide. Notable examples include:
These films cleverly navigated censorship by masking their critique in humor and allegory, proving that artistic resistance was still possible.
Although the Romanian film industry was practically born in the communist era, it constantly attempted to be an anti-regime tool, carefully avoiding censorship. Today, we can appreciate the perseverance of Romanian filmmakers, who, despite the constraints of the time, left behind masterpieces that continue to inspire modern Romanian cinema.
Despite its restrictive and politically controlled origins, the Romanian film industry has evolved into a globally recognized force, with filmmakers now free to explore the country’s history, identity, and social realities without limitations.
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