This Romanian festival of live music and cinema kicks off tonight with a screening of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days at the Duke of York's Picturehouse.

Winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes film festival, Cristian Mungiu's revealing film traces the attempt of two students to attain an illegal abortion during the final years of Nicolae Ceausescu's regime.

It is Romania, 1987, and Otilia and Gabita are university roommates in an all-female dorm. When Gabita becomes pregnant, they arrange a meeting with abortionist Mr Bebe.

This award-wining film will be followed by a rare screening of Mungiu's debut feature film on Saturday. Occident is a black comedy which interweaves stories about migration. Life does not have much to offer in Romania - almost everyone, young and old, wants to leave for a life abroad. When Luci and his girlfriend are made homeless, they go looking for a sign from heaven.

Balkan Beats culminates on Sunday with popular Romanian band, Mahala Rai Banda live in concert at Komedia. Shaped in the gipsy ghettos around Bucharest, this uplifting outfit combines violins, accordions, clarinets, Turkish percussion and brass.

  • 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Duke of York's Picturehouse, Friday, November 23, 6.30pm, tickets: £7/£6/£5. Call 0871 7042056.
  • Occident, Duke of York's Picturehouse, Saturday, November 24, 2pm, tickets: £7/£6/£5. Call 0871 7042056.
  • Mahala Rai Banda, Sunday, November 25, 8.30pm, tickets: £10/£8. Call 01273 647100.