Cristian Mungiu states that the film "The Heist of the Century" has no chance of being nominated for an Oscar due to the lack of a promotion budget: "In this competition, we appear as parachutists, with a very small promotion budget, compared to what others spend on stamps. And as long as the budget is zero, the chances will be the same."

Cristian Mungiu, the director of the film "The Heist of the Century", stated that the film has no chance of making it to the shortlist for the 2026 Oscar awards. Mungiu emphasizes that major studios invest considerable amounts in promoting films, while Romania has a very small promotion budget. He mentions that, although the film was not made with the thought of a nomination, the lack of a cultural strategy from the Romanian CNC limits the chances of Romanian films on the international stage. "The Heist of the Century" is inspired by the theft of famous paintings in the Netherlands and addresses themes such as inequality of opportunity and the difficulties faced by Romanian migrants. The film is an international co-production and tackles the complexity of Romanian identity in a European context. Mungiu hopes that the upcoming film "Fjord", which has an American distributor, might have a better chance at the Oscars.