Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, one of the leading U.S. festivals for independent cinema and innovation will host the US premiere of the film this March. The film is nominated for the Best Comedy Award. Furthermore, both East and West Coasts will host film screenings in April and May. All screenings will be in the presence of a film representative. CATANE already achieved a first prestigious nomination for the Best Original Music at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, representing a Romanian premiere.
The social comedy advances a South-Eastern European ensemble narrative into a memorable tour de force. Inspired by real facts, the story unfolds in the remote Romanian village of Catane, where all the villagers declared to be disabled in order to avoid paying taxes. A dispatched inspection is about to establish the “truth”. What unfolds is a story of unexpected ingenuity. As the villagers band together under pressure, they craft a disarmingly poetic and humorous response to the absurdities of a broken system. The film tackles the contrast between appearance and essence, archaic world and modern world, short-termism and long-termism, remaining a rare glimpse of poetic Romanian cinema and a daringly powerful debut.
“The film addresses questions such as: how can we create meaningful dialogue with someone we fully disagree with? How can we co-create presents or futures that are more socially harmonious? How may we collectively heal our contemporary broken world?” mentioned Ioana Mischie.
The multi-awarded script was developed at Berlinale Talents - Script Station, Sundance Workshop Capalbio, Cannes Maison des Scenaristes, Les Arcs Films School Village, Eastweek Scriptwriting Workshop for New Talents, Low Budget Film Forum. It won the Best Feature Script Award at The Manaki Script Lab in North Macedonia and also at FEST - Pitching Forum in Portugal.
The storyworld excels through its intricate visual style, reminding at a first glance of films by Ruben Ostlund, Yorgos Lanthimos or Rungano Nyoni, blending absurd humor, dramatic accents and surreal tones. The Romanian directorial style of Ioana Mischie proposes a long-awaited combination of deep art-house and audience-lovable tableaux vivants. Its curated chromatic architecture combined with evocative music and thought-provoking themes reveal a corner of never-seen-before Romania.
“The film tackles essentialism, rather than capitalism, as we try to reveal what may be under the surface of bureaucratic, technological or material covers. It becomes a cinematic mirror of mutual empathy in an over-polarized world.” says Ioana Mischie, writer and director.
The atemporal rural world “questions our spiritual, material, creative neo-roots” adds Ioana Mischie who has spent her own childhood in a remote village collecting rituals, quotes and a charismatic joie-de-vivre in front of adversity.
The main cast is led by Costel Cașcaval (previously known for “Terminus Paradis” by Lucian Pintilie), advancing the Inspection team in a transformative manner along with Iulia Lumanare and Cristian Bota. The village world is designed as an ensemble character, featuring actors such as Mihai Mălaimare, Bogdan Farcaș, Nelu Serghei, Corneliu Ulici, Flavia Hojda, Pavel Ulici, Mihai Dinvale, Tudorel Filimon, Marina Dascălu, Liana Mărgineanu, Ioana Abur, Alexia Bodai, Antonia Bodai, Ioana Casetti. The Presidential team is interpreted by Robert Radoveneanu and Alina Chivulescu,
The crew involves top-notch Romanian and Italian professionals: director of photography George Dascalescu signing one of the most memorable visual directions, production designer Cristina Barbu, art director Bogdan Ionescu, editor Ciprian Cimpoi, senior color grader Angelo Francavilla, sound designer Stefan Damian or sound mixer Valerio Brini.
The script was initially the graduation thesis of Ioana Mischie from the National University of Theatre and Film “Ion Luca Caragiale” (UNATC) in Bucharest in 2011.
“This unusual script is part of a larger storyworld, one that archives the hidden layers of pre-depopulated villages in Romania. In the exact same time it is a vital fresque on social justice.” added Ioana Mischie.
“CATANE” is a coproduction between Romania’s Studioset and Storyscapes, and Italy’s art house company Mammut. Ioana Mischie and Ilaria Malagutti are the leading producers that have managed to attract both national fundings and Eurimages, alongside local sponsors.
The shooting took place over 21 days in a remote Transylvanian village in Romania, becoming the first green film in the region, by skillfully repurposing its decors and costumes. The postproduction is currently being made in Italy and Romania. The team reunited more than 100 top-notch professionals from the audio-visual field.
Intramovies is the affiliated Sales Agent. Forum Film Romania will release Catane in Romanian cinemas after aiming to secure a qualitative international World Premiere.
Ioana Mischie is one of the notable innovative Romanian cinematic artists (writer/director), multi-awarded for film, VR and pioneering transmedia concepts. Her films and scripts were developed in top-notch programmes (Berlinale Talents, Biennale College Cinema VR, Locarno Academy Meetings, Sundance Workshop), were selecteed to more than 250 festivals worldwide (including Cannes Immersive, Venice Biennale, Palm Springs, Thessaloniki) or received awards for innovative advancements (The Webby Awards, European XR Awards, Fipadoc Smart Award, GoEast Open Frame Award). Envisioning the world as a neo-creative playground, she deeply believes that storytellers are "the architects of the future" (Buckminster Fuller).
Production Information:
Producers:
Studioset Production (Romania)
Storyscapes (Romania)
Mammut Film (Italy)
Credits:
Writer, Director: Ioana Mischie
DoP: George Dăscălescu
Editor: Ciprian Cimpoi
Production designer: Cristina Barbu
Art director: Bogdan Ionescu
Composer: Emiliano Mazzenga
Colorist: Angelo Francavilla
Sound mix: Valerio Brini
Sound design: Ștefan Damian
2nd unit Camera: Codruta Irina Corocea
Inspectors Cast: Costel Cașcaval, Iulia Lumânare, Cristian Bota, Mihai Mălaimare, Bogdan Farcaș, Nelu Serghei, Corneliu Ulici, Flavia Hojda, Pavel Ulici, Mihai Dinvale, Tudorel Filimon, Marina Dascălu, Liana Mărgineanu, Ioana Abur, Alexia Bodai, Antonia Bodai, Robert Radoveneanu, Alina Chivulescu, Ioana Casetti, Roro Șerban.
