Trailer
Since her father's death, Sofia has lived alone with her mother in the splendid yet now somewhat dilapidated family villa, one neither of them can actually afford. After graduating from high school, the accomplished programmer hopes to go to an elite university in Switzerland; it's expensive however. Fittingly, school beau Alex proposes a business deal to her. He gets the topics for the upcoming high school graduation exams, which he then plan to sell online with Sofia's assistance. His girlfriend Amalia, daughter of a rich senator, is also on board, as is the influencer Tomita. A crowdfunding account is set up and the advertising drum is beaten online. Soon however the quartet soon gets into trouble with both the Ministry of Education and the police. And then Alex gets into a relationship with Sofia…
Director Tudor Petremarin tells an exhilarating tale of technology- and internet-savvy high school students in modern-day Bucharest. His protagonists struggle with social differences, as well as with the pressure placed on them by their families. Yet all four also have big dreams and the youthful exuberance to make them come true. The film reveals what film composer Hans Zimmer, a Porsche Cayenne and a high school bucket list have to do with it all whilst taking a humorous yet contemplative approach, in the process conveying the attitude to life characteristic of young city dwellers in modern Romania.
Text: Kira Taszman
HIGH SCHOOL THIEVES celebrates its world premiere at the 34th FFC.
06.11.2024 | 17:00 | Kammerbühne (original version with English subtitles + simultaneous translation into German)
07.11.2024 | 13:00 | Stadthalle (original version with English subtitles + simultaneous translation into German)
Mihai Manescu, Tudor Petremarin
Alexandru Dobre
David Marin
Cristian Marin
Eduard Carcota
Karina Jianu, Stefan Iancu, Ana Toda, Dragos Prundeanu, Alexia Gales.
Tudor Petremarin - Tudor, a Romanian filmmaker, caught the movie-making bug in high school, and it's been a whirlwind romance ever since. He studied film-making at the National Film & Theatre Univesity in Bucharest (UNATC) and his graduation film (“The Morning Watch” 2010) captivated audiences and judges alike, earning selections at prestigious festivals around the globe, including Hollyshorts IFF, Los Angeles IFF, Vancouver IFF, and New York City IFF.
Over the past decade, he's honed his craft in the vibrant Romanian television and commercial landscape, directing numerous shows (“Worth All Your Money” 2011-2013, “Hello Chef” 2022), series (“Casa Zurli” 2020-2021, “O Gramada de Caramele” 2019), commercials and music videos.
His latest creation, the feature film "High School Thieves" is a coming-of-age thrill ride. It dives into the audacious scheme of four teenagers who dare to steal and sell the national baccalaureate exam—a daring heist that becomes a journey of self-discovery and unexpected consequences.