“When I was 6, my father left our family and eventually became a monk. When I was about to become a father myself, I felt the need to get to know my own father, while trying to understand and accept his decision to leave us and all worldly things, for God. Most of the film reflects on our encounters and attempts to reach reconciliation, while also following my girlfriend and myself on our preparations to become a family”, the director said in a statement.

Dăscălescu shot the film in Romania and on Mount Athos, in 2017- 2019, from the moment of finding out about the pregnancy (a moment that was captured on camera and became the opening sequence of the film) until after the birth of the couple's baby daughter.

Anda Ionescu is producing through Filmlab in coproduction with Hanka Kastelicová through HBO Europe and with support from the Romanian Film Centre.

The project won the IDFA Award for Most Promising Project at the Docu Rough Cut Boutique, held within the Cine Link – Sarajevo Film Festival 2019, and it participated in the IDFA Forum 2019.

Recently, Holy Father also received the main prize, offered by Film Centre Serbia, at the Last Stop Trieste – When East Meets West, held from 19 to 21 January 2020.

Paris-based CAT&Docs is managing the international sales.

Andrei Dăscălescu is at his third long documentary. His previous films travelled to many festivals and won several awards, including the IDFA's First Appearance Award and Sarajevo Film Festival's Special Jury Mention for Constantin and Elena (2008), as well as Transilvania Film Festival's Audience Award and the Gopo Award for Best Documentary for Planeta Petrila (2016).

Production Information:

Producer:
Filmlab (Romania)
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Coproducer:
HBO Europe

Credits:
Director: Andrei Dăscălescu
Scriptwriter: Andrei Dăscălescu
Story consultant: Roberto Blatt
DoP: Andrei Dăscălescu
Editors: Ștefan Pârlog, Andrei Dăscălescu