Gabi Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru’s Where Elephants Go will world premiere at the second edition of Smart7, a travelling competition across seven European film festivals.
The titles, one from each festival’s respective country, will screen together at Lithuania’s Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris (which runs March 14-27) before travelling to Portugal’s IndieLisboa, Spain’s Filmadrid, Transilvania International Film Festival, Poland’s New Horizons, Iceland’s Reykjavik and finishing at Greece’s Thessaloniki IFF in November.
Where Elephants Go is the debut feature from Romanian duo Șarga and Rotaru, whose short film 4:15. The End Of The World screened in competition at Cannes 2016 and won the jury prize. It is described as “pseudo-melodrama” charting the love and friendship shared between characters during a difficult period.
Also world premiering at Smart7 is Maria Zbąska’s debut It’s Not My Film, a Polish drama following a couple who go on a walk along the Baltic Sea coast in winter.
The rest of the line-up comprises films which have previously premiered at Venice, Rotterdam and Tallinn Black Nights.
A jury of university students will then select the winning director to receive a €5,000 cash prize. Last year’s winner was Telmo Churro’s India.
Smart7 competition 2024
Where Elephants Go (Rom), dirs. Gabi Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru
It’s Not My Film (Pol), dir. Maria Zbąska
Five And. A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius (Lith), dir. Tomas Vengris
Grecie (Port), dir. Leonardo Mouramateus
Nataorium (Ice), dir. Helena Stefansdottir
On The Go (Sp), dirs. Julia de Castro and Maria Royo
The Summer With Carmen (Gre), dir. Zacharias Mavroeidis
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