Cristian Mungiu’s ‘Fjord’ becomes Romania’s Oscar 2027 submission after winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes

Cristian Mungiu’s “Fjord” will carry Romania’s hopes into the 2027 Oscar race after the country’s selection committee unanimously chose the film as its entry for best international feature.

The film made its world premiere in the official competition at Cannes, where it collected the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or for best film. It also won the FIPRESCI Prize, the Ecumenical Jury Prize, the Prix de la Citoyenneté and the François Chalais Prize.

Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve lead the cast. Tudor Vladimir Panduru handled cinematography, Mircea Olteanu edited the film, and Simona Pădurețu designed the production. “Fjord” is a European co-production involving Romania, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Mobra Films produced the film with Why Not Productions, Eye Eye Pictures, Film i Väst, Filmgate Films, Garagefilm International, Snowglobe, Aamu Film Company and France 3 Cinéma. The production received support from Romania’s National Cinematography Council, Eurimages and the Creative Europe MEDIA programme.

The film opened in France on August 19 and is scheduled to reach Romanian cinemas during the winter. Goodfellas handles international distribution, while Neon Rated will distribute the film in the United States.

The next test comes on December 15, 2026, when the Academy is scheduled to announce its shortlist. Final nominations are due on January 21, 2027, ahead of the 99th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on March 14. For Mungiu, the immediate target is a place on that shortlist.

Mungiu, born in Iași in 1968, previously won the Palme d’Or in 2007 for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” That film also won European Film Awards for best film and best director, reinforcing his standing as one of Romania’s most internationally recognized filmmakers.