In the script penned by Claudiu Mitcu and Mihai Radu, retired kindergarten cook Sanda (70) decides to leave her husband Tudor (75) after 50 years of marriage. After finally ventilating her frustrations towards him, she joins her best friend Rodica (75) in a hospice. Better die there than beside him, she thinks.

“Mihai Radu came to me with different ideas of scripts, and I was drawn to this one because it deals with a topic experienced by our parents. Entire generations were captive in dysfunctional relationships with partners beside whom they were forced to grow old, as the society was condemning the divorce. Unfortunately, even today, for people with not a good financial situation, divorcing is in many cases not an option”, Claudiu Mitcu told FNE.

Rodica Negrea and Nelu Serghei play the main parts, joined by popular Romanian actors Maia Morgenstern, Magda Catone, Aura Călărașu, Ioana Abur, Dana Dogaru, Victoria Cociaș and Ofelia Popii, among others.

What God Thinks about Animals is produced by Claudiu Mitcu through Romania’s Parada Film (an outfit he founded with producer Ada Solomon and writer/director Călin Peter Netzer),  in coproduction with Wearebasca, which he founded together with cinematographer Andrei Butică, editor Cătălin Cristuțiu, producer and director Ion Ioachim Stroe.

The Romanian Film Centre (CNC) gave 201,835 EUR / 1 m RON to the project in its Thematic Fiction Films section, which focused in 2023 on Women and Feminism. McCann-Erickson S.R.L. is also supporting the film.

The budget is 600,000 EUR, from which part of the postproduction and the original music (some 50,000 EUR) are not yet covered, Mitcu also said.

The film was shot in Bucharest over 20 shooting days from 16 March to 13 April 2025, and it will be finished by the spring of 2026. The date of the premiere depends on festivals.

Claudiu Mitcu is a well-known documentary director and producer, whose activity spans over almost 20 years. He made his debut as feature film director in 2024 with Rusalka, produced by Wearebasca and coproduced by Chainsaw Europe.

Production Information:

Producer:
Parada Film (Romania)

Coproducer:
Wearebasca (Romania)

Credits:
Director: Claudiu Mitcu
Scriptwriters: Mihai Radu, Claudiu Mitcu
DoP: Luchian Ciobanu
Editor: Cătălin Cristuțiu
Production designer: Alina Tarbă
Costume designer: Miruna Bălașa
Cast: Rodica Negrea, Nelu Serghei, Maia Morgenstern, Magda Catone, Aura Călărașu, Ioana Abur, Dana Dogaru, Victoria Cociaș, Ofelia Popii, Andreea Vasile, Alex Potocean, among others