Tudor Giurgiu's 'Why Me' showed at gala screening

Feature film 'Why Me' directed by Tudor Giurgiu premiered at a gala Monday night attended by former President Traian Basescu, who told the director at the end of the event that he is convinced the film will be a success.

All photo credit: (c) ALEX MICSIK / AGERPRES FLOW

Why Me' draws on the case of prosecutor Cristian Panait, who committed suicide in 2002.

When asked what is his opinion of the state of the Romanian judicial system in the early 2000s, Basescu answered: 'At that time, things like that could happen'. As for the state of the judicial system at present, the former president said: 'You can see it for yourselves'.

Giurgiu explained before the screening why he had chosen the Bucharest-based National Children's Palace for the gala.

'The cinema-maker's condition today, in Romania is that they have few cinema halls to show their films in. There is no civilised screening hall in this city, meaning a lobby where we should welcome the guests and organise a premiere in elegant and normal conditions... I would like the current government and the future governments to deal with this problem, so that we might no longer feel humiliated in our own country. An operetta theatre has been raised, this problem is solved, the National Theatre has been renovated, so maybe the time has come for us to find some money to upgrade and digitalise 25-30 cinema halls that might still be saved across Romania', the director said.

Among those attending the event were former prosecutor Alexandru Lele, former chief prosecutor of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) Daniel Morar and the Constitutional Court president Augustin Zegrean.

'Why Me' had its world premiere at Berlin Festival and will be showed in the first week...