Cristian Mungiu

Directing

Cristian Mungiu

Born

1968-04-27 (58)

Place of birth

Iasi, Romania

Known for

Directing

Credits

42 titles

Cristian Mungiu (Romanian: [kristiˈan munˈdʒi.u]) is a Romanian filmmaker. A figure in the Romanian New Wave, his films usually explore Romania's contemporary society and politics. Mungiu is best known for his Palme d'Or–winning films 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Fjord. For Beyond the Hills and Graduation, he won Best Screenplay and Best Director prizes at the 65th and 69th Cannes Film Festivals, respectively. After studying English literature at the University of Iaşi, he worked for a few years as a teacher and as a journalist. After that, he enrolled at the University of Film in Bucharest to study film directing. After graduating in 1998, Mungiu made several short films. In 2002, he d…

Known for

Fjord poster
7.2

Following the deaths of Mihai's parents, Mihai and Lisbeth Gheorghiu leave their life behind in Romania and move with their children to a remote village in Norway, hoping to rebuild their lives near Lisbeth's family. There, they grow close to their neighbors, the Halbergs, whose warmth gives them hope for a fresh start. But the fragile peace begins to unravel when the Gheorghiu family’s young daughter, Elia, arrives at school covered in bruises.

Fjord

2026

Lemonade poster
6.2

While working in the US on a temporary visa as a caretaker, Mara, a 30 year-old single mother from Romania, marries Daniel, an American. After the arrival of her son Dragos, everything seems to have fallen perfectly into place. When the process of getting a green card veers unexpectedly off course, however, Mara is faced with abuses of power on every level and forced to answer a dark question about herself – how far would you go to get what you want?

Lemonade

2018

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days poster
7.5

Two college roommates have 24 hours to make the ultimate choice as they finalize arrangements for a black market abortion.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

2007

Graduation poster
6.8

After his daughter is assaulted and left with an injury that may jeopardize her opportunity to study in the UK, a Romanian doctor decides to do whatever it takes to secure her future.

Graduation

2016

R.M.N. poster
7.0

A few days before Christmas, having quit his job in Germany, Matthias returns to his Transylvanian village. He wishes to involve himself more in the education of his son, Rudi, left for too long in the care of his mother, Ana, and to rid him of the unresolved fears that have gripped him. He’s also eager to see his ex-lover Csilla and preoccupied about his old father, Otto. When a few new workers are hired at the small factory that Csilla manages, the peace of the community is disturbed, underlying fears grip the adults, and frustrations, conflicts and passions erupt through the thin sliver of apparent understanding and calm.

R.M.N.

2022

Beyond the Hills poster
7.1

Alina returns to Romania from Germany, hoping to bring Voichita—the only person in the world she loves and was loved by—back with her. But Voichita has found God, and God is the hardest lover of all to best.

Beyond the Hills

2012

Film credits

Behind the camera

Fjord poster
7.2

Following the deaths of Mihai's parents, Mihai and Lisbeth Gheorghiu leave their life behind in Romania and move with their children to a remote village in Norway, hoping to rebuild their lives near Lisbeth's family. There, they grow close to their neighbors, the Halbergs, whose warmth gives them hope for a fresh start. But the fragile peace begins to unravel when the Gheorghiu family’s young daughter, Elia, arrives at school covered in bruises.

Fjord

2026

Fjord poster
7.2

Following the deaths of Mihai's parents, Mihai and Lisbeth Gheorghiu leave their life behind in Romania and move with their children to a remote village in Norway, hoping to rebuild their lives near Lisbeth's family. There, they grow close to their neighbors, the Halbergs, whose warmth gives them hope for a fresh start. But the fragile peace begins to unravel when the Gheorghiu family’s young daughter, Elia, arrives at school covered in bruises.

Fjord

2026

Fjord poster
7.2

Following the deaths of Mihai's parents, Mihai and Lisbeth Gheorghiu leave their life behind in Romania and move with their children to a remote village in Norway, hoping to rebuild their lives near Lisbeth's family. There, they grow close to their neighbors, the Halbergs, whose warmth gives them hope for a fresh start. But the fragile peace begins to unravel when the Gheorghiu family’s young daughter, Elia, arrives at school covered in bruises.

Fjord

2026

Lemonade poster
6.2

While working in the US on a temporary visa as a caretaker, Mara, a 30 year-old single mother from Romania, marries Daniel, an American. After the arrival of her son Dragos, everything seems to have fallen perfectly into place. When the process of getting a green card veers unexpectedly off course, however, Mara is faced with abuses of power on every level and forced to answer a dark question about herself – how far would you go to get what you want?

Lemonade

2018

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days poster
7.5

Two college roommates have 24 hours to make the ultimate choice as they finalize arrangements for a black market abortion.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

2007

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days poster
7.5

Two college roommates have 24 hours to make the ultimate choice as they finalize arrangements for a black market abortion.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

2007

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days poster
7.5

Two college roommates have 24 hours to make the ultimate choice as they finalize arrangements for a black market abortion.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

2007

Graduation poster
6.8

After his daughter is assaulted and left with an injury that may jeopardize her opportunity to study in the UK, a Romanian doctor decides to do whatever it takes to secure her future.

Graduation

2016

Graduation poster
6.8

After his daughter is assaulted and left with an injury that may jeopardize her opportunity to study in the UK, a Romanian doctor decides to do whatever it takes to secure her future.

Graduation

2016

Graduation poster
6.8

After his daughter is assaulted and left with an injury that may jeopardize her opportunity to study in the UK, a Romanian doctor decides to do whatever it takes to secure her future.

Graduation

2016

R.M.N. poster
7.0

A few days before Christmas, having quit his job in Germany, Matthias returns to his Transylvanian village. He wishes to involve himself more in the education of his son, Rudi, left for too long in the care of his mother, Ana, and to rid him of the unresolved fears that have gripped him. He’s also eager to see his ex-lover Csilla and preoccupied about his old father, Otto. When a few new workers are hired at the small factory that Csilla manages, the peace of the community is disturbed, underlying fears grip the adults, and frustrations, conflicts and passions erupt through the thin sliver of apparent understanding and calm.

R.M.N.

2022

R.M.N. poster
7.0

A few days before Christmas, having quit his job in Germany, Matthias returns to his Transylvanian village. He wishes to involve himself more in the education of his son, Rudi, left for too long in the care of his mother, Ana, and to rid him of the unresolved fears that have gripped him. He’s also eager to see his ex-lover Csilla and preoccupied about his old father, Otto. When a few new workers are hired at the small factory that Csilla manages, the peace of the community is disturbed, underlying fears grip the adults, and frustrations, conflicts and passions erupt through the thin sliver of apparent understanding and calm.

R.M.N.

2022

R.M.N. poster
7.0

A few days before Christmas, having quit his job in Germany, Matthias returns to his Transylvanian village. He wishes to involve himself more in the education of his son, Rudi, left for too long in the care of his mother, Ana, and to rid him of the unresolved fears that have gripped him. He’s also eager to see his ex-lover Csilla and preoccupied about his old father, Otto. When a few new workers are hired at the small factory that Csilla manages, the peace of the community is disturbed, underlying fears grip the adults, and frustrations, conflicts and passions erupt through the thin sliver of apparent understanding and calm.

R.M.N.

2022

Beyond the Hills poster
7.1

Alina returns to Romania from Germany, hoping to bring Voichita—the only person in the world she loves and was loved by—back with her. But Voichita has found God, and God is the hardest lover of all to best.

Beyond the Hills

2012

Beyond the Hills poster
7.1

Alina returns to Romania from Germany, hoping to bring Voichita—the only person in the world she loves and was loved by—back with her. But Voichita has found God, and God is the hardest lover of all to best.

Beyond the Hills

2012

Beyond the Hills poster
7.1

Alina returns to Romania from Germany, hoping to bring Voichita—the only person in the world she loves and was loved by—back with her. But Voichita has found God, and God is the hardest lover of all to best.

Beyond the Hills

2012

The Father Who Moves Mountains poster
5.8

Mircea, former Intelligence officer, finds out that his son from has gone missing in the mountains. He travels there to find him. After days of searches, Mircea put his own rescue team together, leading to conflict with the local squad.

The Father Who Moves Mountains

2021

Traffic poster
6.3

Natalia and Ginel leave their small Romanian Danube village to work abroad in Rotterdam. One evening, when she is assaulted after meeting a local, Natalia asks Ita, a friend from home turned into a crook, to help her.

Traffic

2025

Traffic poster
6.3

Natalia and Ginel leave their small Romanian Danube village to work abroad in Rotterdam. One evening, when she is assaulted after meeting a local, Natalia asks Ita, a friend from home turned into a crook, to help her.

Traffic

2025

Tales from the Golden Age poster
7.0

Composed of six unconventional vignettes, each one dealing with the late communist period in Romania, a narrative is told through its urban myths from the perspective of ordinary people. The title refers to the alluded "Golden Age" of the last 15 years of Ceaușescu's regime.

Tales from the Golden Age

2009

Tales from the Golden Age poster
7.0

Composed of six unconventional vignettes, each one dealing with the late communist period in Romania, a narrative is told through its urban myths from the perspective of ordinary people. The title refers to the alluded "Golden Age" of the last 15 years of Ceaușescu's regime.

Tales from the Golden Age

2009

Tales from the Golden Age poster
7.0

Composed of six unconventional vignettes, each one dealing with the late communist period in Romania, a narrative is told through its urban myths from the perspective of ordinary people. The title refers to the alluded "Golden Age" of the last 15 years of Ceaușescu's regime.

Tales from the Golden Age

2009

Zapping poster
6.1

In a shabby apartment somewhere in Romania, a man obsessively zap between his TV channels despite the wife's complaints and nagging. But where his wife fails, a little man inside the TV will appear and tell Sotul a thing or two about the true mechanics of television zapping...

Zapping

2000

Zapping poster
6.1

In a shabby apartment somewhere in Romania, a man obsessively zap between his TV channels despite the wife's complaints and nagging. But where his wife fails, a little man inside the TV will appear and tell Sotul a thing or two about the true mechanics of television zapping...

Zapping

2000

Occident poster
6.8

Three overlapping stories take place over the course of a week in Bucharest, with characters whose life paths intersect and overlap; often independently of their intentions to emmigrate from Romania, or to stay behind.

Occident

2002

Occident poster
6.8

Three overlapping stories take place over the course of a week in Bucharest, with characters whose life paths intersect and overlap; often independently of their intentions to emmigrate from Romania, or to stay behind.

Occident

2002

The Hand of Paulista poster
6.5

One night, two beggars watch a soap opera through the window of a store where a robbery is taking place. Their concern is directed towards the fate of those on the screen.

The Hand of Paulista

1998

The Hand of Paulista poster
6.5

One night, two beggars watch a soap opera through the window of a store where a robbery is taking place. Their concern is directed towards the fate of those on the screen.

The Hand of Paulista

1998

6.9 on the Richter Scale poster
6.9

A humble Romanian actor in his 40's, hardly surviving between a complicated part in a musical, a depressed wife, and the obsession of an imminent, devastating earthquake, becomes the victim of his manipulative father.

6.9 on the Richter Scale

2016

Girasoli poster
6.8

1963. The young nurse Anna begins working in the juvenile ward of a mental hospital. There she meets Lucia, a fifteen-year-old schizophrenic. Against the backdrop of a struggle between Dr. Marie and the rigid Dr. Oreste to reform patient treatment, a relationship between Anna and Lucia develops, forcing them to make decisive choices for their respective lives.

Girasoli

2024

No artwork available
7.5

Two railroad men are living in a lineman's cabin. One night a stranger has an accident on the beach nearby that will change everything.

Canton

2005

Tales from the Golden Age: The Warsaw Pact poster
NR

A follow up to the 2009 sketch comedy referencing urban legends from the Ceausescu regime, the film is expected to expand to accommodate stories from different ex-communist Eastern European countries, including Poland.

Tales from the Golden Age: The Warsaw Pact

Tales from the Golden Age: The Warsaw Pact poster
NR

A follow up to the 2009 sketch comedy referencing urban legends from the Ceausescu regime, the film is expected to expand to accommodate stories from different ex-communist Eastern European countries, including Poland.

Tales from the Golden Age: The Warsaw Pact

No artwork available
6.5

No synopsis available yet.

Nici o întâmplare

2000

No artwork available
6.5

No synopsis available yet.

Nici o întâmplare

2000

No artwork available
6.0

Sunday afternoon. 42 Celsius degrees. Nothing to eat. No shops. A man in his 50s tries to survive.

Cod rosu

2012

No artwork available
6.0

Skugos is the perfect town where all is sunny and nobody laughs. Mr.Q discovers laughter and sets off to look for the place where people enjoy laughing. Will he find out that laughter means happiness?

Skugos

2016

No artwork available
6.0

The young Romanian woman Ioana tries to find her missing friend Tomescu in Berlin.

București-Berlin

2005

No artwork available
NR

In 2007, Cristian Mungiu's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" became the first Romanian film to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes. At this time, there were fewer than 50 cinemas in Romania, so it was arranged for a 35mm print to be taken on a tour of the provinces to provide people with an opportunity to see the landmark film. This short documentary explores the logistical challenges of the tour and includes interviews with the projectionists and audience members.

From Tulcea to Constanța via Zalău

2007

No artwork available
6.0

Lost and found in between plane rides.

Stopover

2010