One Nation One King presents the intertwining fates of the historical figures, the men and the women of the 1789 French revolution. Their place of meeting is a newly formed National Assembly, where they have to decide what will be the fate of King Louis XVI and how to build the Republic... Freedom has a history!

At the XXIIIth edition, the French Film Festival in Romania takes place from 8 to 19 May, being organized this year for the first time in 13 cities with 146 screenings.

The screenings will take place in Bucureşti (May 8 – 16), Cluj (May 9 – 12), Timişoara (May 9 – 13), Iaşi (May 11 – 14), Arad (May 9 – 11), Braşov (May 9 – 11), Brăila (May 10 – 12), Buzău (May 9 – 10), Constanţa (May 16 – 19), Piteşti (May 16 – 19), Sfântu Gheorghe (May 16 – 19), Sinaia (May 16 – 19) and Suceava (May 10 – 11).

The audience is invited to discover a selection of 23 films, structured around the four sections: Competition of Young Directors, Panorama of French Films of the Year, Cahiers du Cinema Week and Retrospective Week.

Photo: The director Pierre Schoeller and the romanian film critic Irina Margareta Nistor at the opening of the French Film Festival in Romania. (Source of images: Facebook Cinema Elvire Popesco).

Sarah Paulson (Glass, American Horror Story) stars opposite newcomer Kiera Allen, and Conan Hodgkinson in the thriller Run from Lionsgate.

Run follows a smart, cool teenager known as “Daughter” (Kiera Allen) who uses a wheelchair and is raised in complete isolation by “Mother” (Sarah Paulson), and the girl slowly learns that her mother is keeping a sinister secret.

Aneesh Chaganty: “Our last movie, Searching, featured a mostly Korean-American cast, but the plot had nothing to do with race or ethnicity. It was just a thriller. We all thought it would be really cool to advocate for a group of people who weren’t media-represented in a major way.

So when we started Run, we tried to do the same thing, except this time with a teenage lead who uses a wheelchair.

Maybe we were just coming off the high of Searching, but internally we never really discussed any other possibility apart from looking for a super-talented actress with a lower-body disability in real life, even though we knew the search to find this person would be insanely unconventional.

We had a great casting director, Rich Delia, who went out to [cast in the] “traditional way.” But ultimately, the most success came via a grassroots approach: word-of-mouth, flyers at theater groups and art programs, and outreach to disability-minded organizations around the country.

It was a months-long process with extremely specific parameters, but we were convinced that person was, statistically, out there. We just had to find her. And eventually, we did. It’s probably the thing I’m most proud of.”

Run will receive a wide release on January 24, 2020.

Inspired by classic film noir, The Poison Rose stars Carson Phillips (John Travolta), an ex-football star turned private investigator, who enjoys his share of drinking, smoking, and gambling.He takes on a seemingly routine missing persons case in his old home town.

Returning there after 15 years, he discovers a case of fraud, drug smuggling, crimes and a deadly ticking clock to solve the murder and uncover the town’s dirty secrets.

The Poison Rose is co-directed by filmmakers Francesco Cinquemani (Andron, Beyond the Edge) & George Gallo (a writer on Midnight Run, Bad Boys, The Whole Ten Yards; director of Local Color, My Mom's New Boyfriend, Middle Men, Columbus Circle, Bigger) & Luca Giliberto (making his directorial debut).

The impressive cast of Poison Rose features Morgan Freeman, Famke Janssen, Brendan Fraser, Peter Stormare, Ella Bleu Travolta, Kat Graham, Robert Patrick, Nadine Lewington, and Nick Vallelonga.

The Poison Rose marks the first on-screen collab between John Travolta and Morgan Freeman, and in will be released in select theaters starting May 24th.

In Romania, After (released by Prorom and Ro Image) generated 48,120 admissions and took $ 215,980.

In Bulgaria, After (released by Prorom and BTV) was seen by 16,672 spectators and grossed $ 70,154.

Also, in the Czech Republic and Slovakia After had a great success at the box office: so far, it has been seen by 104,115 spectators. In Czech Republic, After took the # 1 spot this weekend - a really extraordinary performance - since last week premiered on third place. In Slovakia, After is currently ranked second. The total box office in these territories is $ 372,842.

In Hungary - After (released by Big Bang Media - a Prorom company), the first two weekend runs comprised over 61,047 admissions, after the 29.991 spectators had seen the film in the first weekend. Total revenue in Hungary is $ 301,089.

Worldwide, After brought in an estimated $ 48.6 million ($ 11,1 Domestic and $ 37,5 Internationally). The Buget was around $14 million.

In After, a young woman (Josephine Langford) falls for a guy (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin) with a dark secret and the two embark on a rocky relationship.

Hi Anna, nice to meet you! Because you’re an author I have to ask you.. You prefer read the book and then see the movie or vice-versa?
Anna Todd: Definitely the book first. Because I've always been a reader my whole life. So I rather read the book and then see the movie.

What was the inspiration for the After book besides the One Direction thing that everyone knows? Is there a specific book? Or a specific movie?
Anna: Yes there are a lot of different ones, honestly. For the book was mostly like Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Hemingway… When you read the After series you can see that the characters talk a lot about literature, so there a lot or parallels between those stories and mine. I was also inspired by the movies like 10 Things I Hate about You, She’s All that… because of the ending. Is kind of the same. Like it’s a deal kind of… the girls been tricked it in that situation. Also I got inspiration from Vampire Diaries… The character Hardin is not the typical romance hero. In my books he is more harsh than most…

I’m glad you mention 10 Things I Hate About You… I think is one of the greatest comedies of the ’90. They also made a sequel, but it didn’t have anything in common with the first one…

Anna: Yes… I hate when they do that! They do that with the Cruel Intentions… I loved that movie. Cruel Intentions is like After 2, you will see. But they do this with the second Cruel Intentions – and I was like “What was this??”. Like… I did not want that!

But you think that this first movie – After could be the beginning of a franchise? Or is just a standalone movie?
Anna: The After movie is the adaptation of the first book.  And even some of material from the first book we save it for… hopefully After 2. Because the first book is soooo long. It was impossible to fit it all.

You were involved in the production of the movie - you also worked at the screenplay?
Anna: Yeah, I got really lucky because we sold it to a smaller studio first, so I had a lot of control… I was at every casting, I chose the cast… I’m also a producer on the movie, I was on set every single day. So I was very involved. So I know exactly every scene.

So the Movie is a lot like you imagined to be…
Anna: Yes. Honestly it was a lot like this. I got to help choose some of the locations… if the bedroom didn’t look right or something in the room didn’t seem right we will move it. So I had a lot of control (laughing). We were really lucky.

Yes, you were! Not a lot of authors can do that…
Anna: Yes. Most of them can’t. So I got really lucky.

So when they choose the actors, you have some control?
Anna: Yes. Basically everyone that I want got the roles. But not just because of me, because we were all grup voting. But with Hero, specially… Hith him basically was “I will quit if you don’t hire him like… Now”. Because I knew it’s him. We met so many… and he wasn’t my favourite in the beginning, until I met him in person. And then I just knew… and everyone agreed with me. And then on the set they all said “Thank you”. Because he is perfect for this role. He is a Fiennes. Ralph Fiennes and Joseph Fiennes are his uncles. So he came from this business, he knows how to work hard and he is not like “lazy” or “millennial”… is really great!

How was with the director of the movie?
Anna: I got to meet a couple different choices. And she and I hit if off, and It was great. So I had some meetings with her before we started pre-production, and I worked a lot with the script… Some parts of the script I actually wrote myself. So it was a really collaborate effort.  A lot of times when the studios will buy adaptations they say “We want to keep closes to the book”… but they don’t. With mine, they didn’t have a choice, because I was always there (laughing).

The director read the book first?
Anna: Yes, she did. And also a big part of the cast, they read the whole series. So it was really good to have this people who really want to make it closes is possible. Of course, there are some things that we need it to change because of timing, but it was really good.

In the movie some things differ from the books...
Anna: Yes it’s a different medium. And I tried to tell my readers.. it’s never gonna be exactly the same, and for me it doesn’t bother me if the people say “the book is better”… because I made the book! (laughing). So I’m like… thank you!

How was the experience in Romania?
Anna: Amazing. Everyone was so nice, and the readers…. Last night were so many people… We didn’t know there will be so many people. Some people came because they told me online, but it was amazing.

You didn’t get tired of this fan meetings?
Anna: No. At the signings actually is great. I don’t know if it’s because the people have some much energy, but every time, even if during the day… no matter where I am I’ll be tired… and then immediately when I meet them I’m fine. Because they are really excited to see me and I feel it will be kind of unfair to be indifferent. Because they waited in this crowded book store for me. They paid for my books with their money that they earned.

You go also to the conventions? You go to Comic Con? You have a TV Show that you prefer?
Anna: I went to Vampire Diaries Convention, because it’s my favourite series ever. Also The Originals, I like Supernatural also. I was at the New York Comic Con, so I’m a fan girl! (laughing).

I know what you say! I’m also fan of the conventions – I was many times at London Film & Comic Con, and my dream it’s to go to San Diego Comic Con – because it’s the biggest convention in the world.
Anna: Yes! I was there twice with my publisher. And I was like… please schedule me for this, and for that!… Because I wanted to go to many panels. And they were like “You are here to work” and me… “Yeah, yeah, yeah… but I want to see this and that…”. So It was like work and pleasure. Mostly pleasure (laughing).

I think it’s interesting because this conventions gives you the chance to meet your idols.
Anna: Yes. It’s really cool. And also to be in a place where everyone loves the same stuff. At the Comic Con they had a Game of Thrones costume party. And it’s incredible, because there are 1000 people all dressed in characters from Game of Thrones. And it’s so cool! It’s the coolest thing to see all this people happy and they are with other people that loved the same stuff. It’s a special experience.

You are a collector? Do you collect something? You have a passion?
Anna: My favourite author is Cassandra Clare. I have tattoos from her books, I collect different editions of her books from every country that I go to. So I always buy this one… is called Clockwork Princess. It’s my favourite one, and I always buy it from every country. And then sometimes readers will bring it, because they know I collect it… So I have like 10 copies in Russian (laughing). So in my house I have a lot of bookshelves, obviously. And one of this bookshelves is full with Cassandra Claire books.  And every time that she comes with a new edition… I buy it. In one of the editions they just change the spine, and I bought them all again. So this is what I collect.

So you will need also the Romanian edition.
Anna: Yes, I will look for it.

How important is for you the opinion of the fans in the future evolution of the stories that you will write?
Anna: Mostly is their emotions that I take in consideration. When they tell me on Wattpad “I can’t believe this happened” or “I want this to happen”. I don’t really listen of their specific plot things. Because in my mind, whatever I write, that’s the story. But I like to push things, to play with them emotions, I’m like like a puppet master with my characters.

What it’s your opinion on social media? In your case that helped you a lot, but it seems that the technology nowadays is trying to separate us from the emotions… everyone has a telephone and is addicted to it.
Anna: I have a mixed of opinion about that. I think one because my whole career started this way. If It'd never been read online, It would never have been published. But I do connect with so many people from around the world… I talk with girls from Romania, Japan, Australia, US, Hungary… all this places that I never had contact with them before. So in that way, I love it. On my Facebook are 15.000 people, and there from around the world, and they are all friends now, they Skype each other, they talk about their problems, and they feel they have friends, even if in their life are shy.
But I see also the other side -- we can not talk with people anymore… and for young people is so much pressure on social media… Because on Instagram and Facebook everyone’s lives look so perfect. So basically I love the connection that you can have with people from all over the world, but I also hate the way that threats young people.

If you were in my place, what question would you asked yourself?
Anna: No one really asked me what is the first thing that I think in the whole book. Because for me I have a very speciffic start. And it’s never the first page. It’s always this one scene that is always like in my head and then I build the beginning and the end of this one thing. Everyone is asking where is starts the book, no one asks how does the book become a book. Like in the scene from The Brightest Star… the guy has a problem with his leg. And is starts building the story from there. I asked myself why is he in this situation, what got him to be this way, or that way… and so one...

It’s like a screenplay of a movie. Because when they shoot a film they don’t film in the order of the sequences.
Anna: Yes, exactly. Is like a puzzle. I never write in order, it’s weird. Sometime I have to fill it all the blanks between sequences. I never now where the story ends, when I start writing. Even with this story (The Brightest Star). I now the story in the second one, because I’m almost finished with it. But with the third one… i have no idea. With the second one I got them so far apart, I have no clue how I will keep them together. It’s fun to write that way, because it feels like… exciting and anything could happen.

What can you tell me about the Together1Heart organization that you support?
Anna: I have this friend, the actress AnnaLynne McCord – she is the president of this foundation. What they do… they save girls – mostly in Cambodia,  from sex slavery. They have saved over 150 girls in the last four years. And some cases are unbelievable!  It’s crazy that people are doing this! It’s crazy that people lived this way, and people want to hurt their children, and use their body for money. But are doing all over the world, not only in Cambodia. But AnnaLynne is doing some much with this organization, she spends Christmas with this girls, she goes to Cambodia for times a year. So this organization literally saved so many girls.

Can you tell me a few words about this new novel, The Brightest Star?
Anna: The guy in this book is an ex-military and he has a lot of trauma from there, and she is a therapist. And they live in Georgia. This book deals with a lot of political things and racism. The main character is a black men and the girl is white, which in romance is really hard to find, honestly. There are always both white. In the U.S. at least. Or is a book written by a black author – and then are both black. My husband is black, and even before I was married, I never really dated people of my own race. So I remember as a reader “Why can’t I find stories about white women and black men?”. And if there is one is extremely erotic, or very stereotypical. I just wanna to be able to pick up a love story and it didn’t matther what race is was. And so with this one story I kind of did that. You don’t know that he is black until many pages in the book. I don’t put any people on my covers, no matter what the country. So you don’t know what they look like.

In the end, you have a message for your fans in Romania?
Anna: Thank you for your support and I’m happy to be here, and go see After in cinemas from April 19. And I hope you love it.

And for someone who did’t read the book and want to see the movie?
If you like family dramas – because it’s not just romance, even if you don’t like romance – there is a lot about the family in it. So if you like family dramas, and you like to be entertained, go see After!

Thank you very much!
Anna: Thank you!

Interview by Emanuel Lăzărescu. Many thanks to Teodora Ivan from Trei Publishing House.

Now, the film’s official Twitter, Instangram and Facebook accounts has teased that, “This week will be scary,” along with an all-new movie poster. This means that first trailer will appear in a few days!

The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book series was first published during the 1980s, written / adapted from folklore by Alvin Schwartz and gorily illustrated by Stephen Gammell. The film follows a group of young teens who must solve the mystery surrounding the sudden and macabre deaths in their small town.

The movie will be directed by André Ovredal and is co-written by Daniel and Kevin Hageman along with Guillermo del Toro, who provided the screen story (and is also the producer of the film).

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will star Zoe Margaret Colletti, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Michael Garza, Austin Zajur, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint and Natalie Ganzhorn.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will open on August 9, 2019 in the US, in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania on August 16, and in Hungary on November 28.