Berlinale Title ‘Atlas of the Universe’ Boarded by Pluto Film (EXCLUSIVE)

International sales agency Pluto Film has picked up Paul Negoescu’s “Atlas of the Universe,” which explores the fragile shift from childhood innocence to early independence. The Romanian-Bulgarian co-production is set for its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Generation K+ program.

“Atlas of the Universe” is a road movie following 10-year-old Filip (played by Matei Donciu), who sets off across the countryside after accidentally buying two right foot shoes. “What begins as a simple mission becomes an unexpected journey of courage, persistence, friendship and self discovery,” Pluto said.

The film is produced by Radu Stancu and Ioana Lascar of deFilm and written by Mihai Mincan and Negoescu.

Negoescu said the film “is a story about loneliness and the courage to solve problems on your own. These are feelings I know very well, and they are what first drew me to Mihai’s story. We tried to bring these emotions to the surface in a simple and understated way, without explicitly pointing them out. Matei’s personality and talent were essential in this process. His performance as Filip brings to life a character shaped by all these emotions. I believe he allows the audience to resonate with Filip and to feel everything he goes through.”

Besides Donciu, the film also stars Johanna Mild Keresztúri, Marius Mǎrginean, Sofia Marinescu, Andreea Grǎmoșteanu, Marin Grigore, Cǎlin Petru and Andrei Mateiu. The director of photography is Ana Drǎghici, with Mihai Codleanu responsible for the editing, and Marius Leftǎrache arranging the sound design and music.

“What gives ‘Atlas of the Universe’ its international resonance is a universal truth: every child must navigate that defining moment between shame and courage,” Pluto managing director Daniela Cölle said. “It’s rare to see a film portray the transition from innocence to independence with such honesty. Filip’s adventure is deeply personal yet universally recognisable, offering a fresh and contemporary lens on what it means to grow up. With its tender humor, genuine emotion and unexpected friendship, this film reaffirms the importance and enduring power of children’s stories.”

“Producing films for young audiences has long been a personal ambition,” Stancu said. “I strongly believe there is a real need for films that speak to children and teenagers with artistic integrity, emotional honesty and cultural meaningfulness. Through such projects as these, that respect their intelligence, we hope to contribute to the healthy cultural development of young audiences. Going forward, we aim for deFilm to develop and produce a strong, artistically ambitious project for young viewers every two to three years, as a long term commitment to this essential and often underserved cinematic space.”

Negoescu’s short films premiered at major festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Karlovy Vary and Rotterdam. Two of them were nominated for the European Film Awards. His feature debut, “A Month in Thailand,” premiered in Venice. “Two Lottery Tickets” became one of the most successful Romanian films at the box office and was released internationally after being received well by critics and festivals – which led to a sequel, “Lottery Tickets Too.”

“Atlas of the Universe” is produced by deFilm of Romania, in co-production with Screening Emotions of Bulgaria and Avanpost Media of Romania. The production is supported by the Romanian Film Center, Romanian Government – OFIC, Eurimages – Council of Europe, the Bulgarian National Film Center, Magic Lab, CinemaCity, Magic Shop, Romanian Television and Upfar Argoa.