93

The presence of French films in Romania after the Second World War was mainly the result of the trading activities of private companies (distribution companies, rental houses, etc.). Unlike during the pre-war period, the French diplomatic machine intervened more often in favor of a movie or a company. It played the intermediary between the various actors, both public and private, as well as between French and Romanian partners. The main objective of the French diplomacy was to maintain a cultural presence in Romania, but it came up against strong resistance and the hostility of the Romanian authorities supported by the Soviets who, in the context of the Cold War and the formation of ideological blocs, set up obstacles to impede the import of Western movies. This article analyzes the actions and the strategies used by French diplomats to protect French movies on Romanian screens and brings to light some of the Romanian reactions by looking at the import policy and censorship rules.