International distributor Pluto Films has picked up director Paul Negoescu’s Atlas of the Universe, which explores the fragile transition from childhood innocence to early independence. The Romanian-Bulgarian co-production will have its world premiere at the Berlinale’s Generation K+ program.
“Atlas of the Universe” is a road movie that follows 10-year-old Philip (played by Matej Donciu) as he travels through the countryside after accidentally buying two pairs of shoes meant for his right foot. “What started as a simple mission becomes an unexpected journey of courage, tenacity, friendship, and self-discovery,” Pluto said.
The film was produced by deFilm’s Radu Stancu and Ioana Lascar and written by Mihai Mincan and Negoescu.
Director Negoescu said that the film is “a story about loneliness and the courage to solve problems on your own. These are emotions that I am familiar with and what first attracted me to Mihai’s story. We explore these emotions in a simple and unobtrusive way, without explicitly pointing them out. Matei’s personality and talent were essential to this process. His performance as Philippe brings to life a character shaped by all these emotions. He allows the audience to empathize with Philippe and feel everything he goes through.”
Besides Donciu, the film also stars Johanna Mild Keresturi, Marius Murginian, Sofia Marinescu, Andrea Gramosteanu, Marin Grigore, Karin Petr, and Andrei Mateiu. The cinematographer is Ana Dragici, the editor is Mihaly Codreanu, and the sound design and musical arrangements are by Marius Leftrache.
“What gives ‘Atlas of the Universe’ such an international resonance is a universal truth: every child must navigate a defining moment between shame and courage,” said Daniela Colle, Managing Director of Pluto. “Rarely has a film so honestly portrayed the transition from innocence to independence. Philip’s journey is intensely personal, yet recognisable, offering a fresh, modern perspective on what it means to grow up. With gentle humor, genuine emotion, and unexpected friendships, this film reaffirms the importance and enduring power of fairy tales.”
“Producing films for young audiences has long been a personal ambition,” Stank said. “I strongly believe that there is a real need for films that speak to children and teenagers with artistic integrity, emotional honesty, and cultural significance. Through projects like this that respect their intelligence, we have contributed to the healthy cultural development of young audiences.” Going forward, we aim for deFilm to develop and produce strong, artistically ambitious projects for young audiences every two to three years as a long-term commitment to this essential but underserved film space.”
Negoesque’s short films premiered at major film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Karlovy Vary and Rotterdam. Two of them were nominated for the European Film Award. His feature debut, A Month in Thai, premiered in Venice. “Two Lottory Tickets” became one of the most successful Romanian films at the box office, and after receiving positive reviews from critics and film festivals, it was released worldwide and a sequel “Lottery Tickets Too” was produced.
Atlas of the Universe was produced by Romania’s deFilm in collaboration with Bulgaria’s Screening Emotions and Romania’s Avanpost Media. The production is supported by the Romanian Film Center, Romanian Government – OFIC, YuriImages – Council of Europe, Bulgarian National Film Center, Magic Lab, Cinema City, Magic Shop, Romanian Television and Upfal Algoa.
