Romanian filmmaker Paul Negoescu's poignant road movie "Atlas of the Universe" has been acquired by international sales agency Pluto Film. The film, which explores the delicate transition from childhood innocence to early independence, will make its world premiere at the Berlinale's Generation K+ program.
Set in a rural landscape, the story follows 10-year-old Filip (played by Matei Donciu), who embarks on an unexpected journey after accidentally buying two right-foot shoes. What initially appears as a simple errand quickly evolves into a transformative experience of courage, friendship, and self-discovery. As Pluto Film notes, "what begins as a simple mission becomes an unexpected journey of courage, persistence, friendship and self-discovery."
"Atlas of the Universe" is a co-production between Romanian production company deFilm and Bulgarian partner Screening Emotions, with support from various government agencies and film institutions across Europe. The film's success lies in its universal themes, which resonate deeply with audiences worldwide. As Pluto Film managing director Daniela Cölle puts it, "it's rare to see a film portray the transition from innocence to independence with such honesty." The movie offers a fresh and contemporary lens on growing up, tackling complex emotions like shame and courage with tender humor and genuine emotion.
The film is written by Mihai Mincan and Negoescu, who drew inspiration from his own experiences of loneliness and self-discovery. "We tried to bring these emotions to the surface in a simple and understated way," Negoescu explains. "Matei's performance as Filip brings to life a character shaped by all these emotions, allowing the audience to resonate with him and feel everything he goes through."
Negoescu is no stranger to critical acclaim, having premiered several short films at major festivals including Cannes, Berlin, and Rotterdam. His feature debut, "A Month in Thailand," premiered in Venice, while his previous film, "Two Lottery Tickets," became a commercial success after being well-received by critics and audiences.
"Atlas of the Universe" is set to navigate the cinematic landscape with its thoughtful exploration of universal themes. As deFilm's Radu Stancu notes, producing films for young audiences has long been a personal ambition, aiming to create projects that speak to children and teenagers with artistic integrity, emotional honesty, and cultural meaningfulness. With "Atlas of the Universe," deFilm is poised to contribute to the healthy development of young audiences through high-quality storytelling.
Set in a rural landscape, the story follows 10-year-old Filip (played by Matei Donciu), who embarks on an unexpected journey after accidentally buying two right-foot shoes. What initially appears as a simple errand quickly evolves into a transformative experience of courage, friendship, and self-discovery. As Pluto Film notes, "what begins as a simple mission becomes an unexpected journey of courage, persistence, friendship and self-discovery."
"Atlas of the Universe" is a co-production between Romanian production company deFilm and Bulgarian partner Screening Emotions, with support from various government agencies and film institutions across Europe. The film's success lies in its universal themes, which resonate deeply with audiences worldwide. As Pluto Film managing director Daniela Cölle puts it, "it's rare to see a film portray the transition from innocence to independence with such honesty." The movie offers a fresh and contemporary lens on growing up, tackling complex emotions like shame and courage with tender humor and genuine emotion.
The film is written by Mihai Mincan and Negoescu, who drew inspiration from his own experiences of loneliness and self-discovery. "We tried to bring these emotions to the surface in a simple and understated way," Negoescu explains. "Matei's performance as Filip brings to life a character shaped by all these emotions, allowing the audience to resonate with him and feel everything he goes through."
Negoescu is no stranger to critical acclaim, having premiered several short films at major festivals including Cannes, Berlin, and Rotterdam. His feature debut, "A Month in Thailand," premiered in Venice, while his previous film, "Two Lottery Tickets," became a commercial success after being well-received by critics and audiences.
"Atlas of the Universe" is set to navigate the cinematic landscape with its thoughtful exploration of universal themes. As deFilm's Radu Stancu notes, producing films for young audiences has long been a personal ambition, aiming to create projects that speak to children and teenagers with artistic integrity, emotional honesty, and cultural meaningfulness. With "Atlas of the Universe," deFilm is poised to contribute to the healthy development of young audiences through high-quality storytelling.
. I mean, it's not like every other movie has done this same theme already or anything. But hey, who am I to complain? It sounds like they've actually done some research on growing up and emotions, which is more than I can say for most films 
. The fact that they're trying to tackle complex stuff like shame and courage in a "simple and understated way" makes me think it might be worth watching... but no promises 
.
i swear, comfort shoes are the best investment ever lol what's with this movie tho? i mean, buying two right-foot shoes as a kid sounds kinda boring but if it leads to an epic journey then i'm here for it 
btw, have you tried that new ice cream shop downtown? their flavors are so unique and delicious 
i loved how it showed growth and change in a kid's life, its like we've all been there right? 
filip's shoes thing was the best plot twist ever 
it sounds like such a beautifully told story about growing up and finding your way in life, you know? like who hasn't been there right? 
i love how it's not some typical coming-of-age drama, but more like this poignant journey of self-discovery and friendship that just resonates so deeply. the fact that the writer-director paul negoescu drew inspiration from his own experiences of loneliness and isolation is just so admirable 
and matei donciu as filip sounds like he's going to be a total heartthrob 
can't wait to see this film on the big screen! 
