The Newsreel in Colour

In 1967, the newsreel changed its name from News in Pictures to The Week in Pictures, and began producing one story on colour film per month, as part of the studio’s efforts to maintain its competitive edge against the growing popularity of television. Included here is a story that clearly blends elements of national promotion and tourism content, a shift the studio began embracing in the 1960s, with the aim of crafting a compelling image of a country experiencing a unique period of ideological and cultural relaxation.

The Black Sea coast was marketed as the top destination for international tourists, which is why directors commissioned by the Office of National Tourism (ONT) were sent to film extensively Romania’s seaside resorts, particularly those best suited for international tourism. Among these was the Olimp resort, which joined the tourist circuit in 1972 and gained fame for Ana Aslan’s renowned anti-aging treatments and cosmetics. It’s likely that some of the footage featured in this brief story was repurposed from various tourism films commissioned by Sahia: see the cars with foreign license plates and the restaurant hosting German tourists. (AB)