Cristian Mungiu about his new film "Fjord": ''There are too many "politically correct" films. In cinema, we must take risks"

Cristian Mungiu, the award-winning Romanian director with the Palme d'Or, presented his film 'Fjord' at the Cannes Festival, where it was applauded for 12 minutes. The film explores ideological abuses in progressive societies, provoking debates. Mungiu states that cinema must remain polemical and critical, emphasizing that many current films are too politically correct.

'Fjord' follows an evangelical couple in Norway who face suspicions of domestic violence, causing a crisis of faith and education. The director acknowledges that he does not want to please anyone and that his film reflects the polarization of society. Inspired by his experiences in communist Romania, Mungiu hopes that the film will generate discussions about the radicalization of society. 'Fjord' is considered a favorite for the Palme d'Or, and Mungiu expresses his joy for the film's success, but also the pressure that comes with expectations.

"I feel that, in the world of cinema, we have begun to lose a bit of the freedom to truly express our thoughts. There are too many 'politically correct' films that confirm that the ideology of the moment is the correct one, and that is not what cinema should do. In cinema, we must take risks. I grew up under a regime that knew better than us, the citizens, what we needed," he recalls. "I thought this ended with the fall of communism, and today we discover that it can happen, even with the best intentions, in democratic societies. I am very happy that, after two years of work in which the entire film crew and actors said 'we will see each other at Cannes', this actually happened. But now we are moving to another level of pressure," the director declares in an interview with AFP.