Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, best known for the Palme d'Or-winning 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, is enjoying renewed attention with Fjord, his latest social drama, which won this year's Palme d'Or and has been submitted as Romania's entry for the international Oscar. Starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, the film follows a conservative Romanian family whose customs are questioned after they relocate to Norway, and it has provoked fierce debate online about its political stance even before many viewers had seen it. Mungiu argues that this rush to judgement mirrors the very polarisation the film examines, and insists he deliberately avoids moralising, instead presenting opposing viewpoints without dictating which is correct.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the Telluride Film Festival, his first visit there in a decade, Mungiu described how arguments over Fjord erupted on social media around the time of its Cannes premiere in May, before many commentators had actually watched it. He said audiences increasingly expect films to take a clear side on contentious issues, a trend he believes has developed over the past 10 to 20 years and one he consciously resists by letting characters voice differing opinions rather than expressing his own. Backed by distributor Neon, known for guiding foreign films towards Oscars success, Fjord is seen as a strong awards contender this season.