Every year, as we get closer to a new edition of the Gopo Awards, we turn our attention to those categories that nominate up-and-coming filmmakers. If two years ago we talked to the nominees in the Young Hope category, last year we invited the contenders in the Debut section for an interview and a retro photo session. This year, we chose, for the second time, the “young hopes” of 2023: Ilinca Neacșu, Ioana Chițu, Mișu Ionescu, Cristina Popa, and Ana Indricău, five emerging talents with big dreams, a lot of love for art, and who, through their work, want contribute to a more diverse and united industry.

Ilinca Neacșu: “I would like to learn more about acting and stay true to my values”

What was the biggest challenge you faced working on Blue Moon?

Blue Moon was my first film and a learning experience. Alina (i.e. Alina Grigore, the director of the film) gives a lot of freedom to the actors, she lets them do what they want, and I think the biggest challenge for me was moving with the camera – I was either going too fast or going out of frame. Alina always made sure that I stayed within the frame, but I found it difficult, I didn’t know how “calm” I should be in my movement since Vicki had many explosive scenes. Then, finding the right balance so that Viki wouldn’t seem like a hysterical character.

Viki is indeed a rebellious and explosive young woman. How about you, Ilinca?

Alina chose me for the role of Viki thinking that I’m this rebellious girl, but I’m not (laughs). I think I’m more like Irina, rather prudent and meticulous.

What do you like best about being an actress?

The opportunity to work with people who want the same thing – to tell stories about relationships, who seek vulnerability. I mean, there is nothing fascinating or satisfying about being an actor alone. Meeting and working with people offers you the possibility to open up, to be creative.

Have you had such encounters so far?

Yes, UNATC (i.e. the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucharest) was the first place I experienced that. I know others may disagree, but I had teachers and colleagues with whom I felt we could enjoy both the ups and downs, the moments we were creative and vulnerable, as well as the moments it wasn’t going so great. I had an amazing time at UNATC, and shortly after graduation, I met Alina. Blue Moon was like an extension of all the beautiful things I had experienced and learned in school.

What are your hopes for your career and what’s your biggest goal?

I don’t want to name something in particular. Getting to Hollywood or making a film just to get to Cannes have never been on my agenda. I’m not interested in that because I’m pretty sure that once I would get to such places, I wouldn’t truly feel fulfilled. I would like to learn more about acting and stay true to my values. Which seems like a complicated bet, keeping the same values throughout your life. I hope I will always weigh things carefully.

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Mișu Ionescu: “Cinema has a certain complexity, a different kind of depth, and that’s what I’m interested in”

How did you come to work on Teambuilding?

The story is a bit more complicated, I wasn’t on the project from the start. A few days after they started shooting, the first director of photography had to quit the film, and they called me to ask me if I could take on. It was the only time I went into a project like that – you have to maintain the style created by the DoP before you. I felt like I was thrown into the middle of the action, it was tricky not knowing what I was getting myself into, and the script was changed quite a bit during filming.

Both films for which you are nominated are very different from most Romanian films in terms of cinematography, leaning more towards American mainstream movies. How would you define great cinematography?

One that supports the drama without drawing attention away from the story.  Making a film is a team effort, everyone does their part, but if the image stands out and overshadows the story, it has lost its purpose. Cinematography should support the story and the script dictates how the story is told.

And yet, Teambuilding has quite a few filters and a typical American vibe.

Sure there are filters you apply to make the film look a certain way, but I think the focus should be on how you tell the story and why.

Indeed, for both films, we drew inspiration from American mainstream cinema. For The Wishing Tree: Childhood Memories, we had Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and Pinocchio (2019) as references – the latter we used as a reference for the dream scenes, we went as far as we could in that direction. It’s a children’s film that tackles the topic of death, so it was important for the experience to be as less traumatic as possible.

With Teambuilding, it was a bit simpler, it was a real-life story and I knew exactly what I had to convey.

You have been in the industry for a long time, you have worked on many short films and not only. How would you describe your journey so far?

Long. I started filming in my teens when my father put a video camera in my hands, which taught me responsibility. I was in charge of recording the family vacations, at that time it was just for fun, I was more passionate about photography until I discovered the value of images as documents over the years. I decided to go to UNATC, where I got in the second time – and I was lucky to be in Florin Mihăilescu’s class, one of the best teachers in school. Since 2015, when I finished my master’s degree, I’ve been on many sets, either as a grip or as a camera assistant. At the same time, I was working on my own short or documentary film projects. In 2020, Andrei Huțuleac called me to ask me if I wanted to join the project – once again, I was lucky, because they had someone else as DoP at first. I really wanted to make this film; my father had passed two years before, and I felt entitled to make this film, to put everything I had experienced into it. Then, I really wanted to work with Andrei; he is a very intelligent and meticulous person who knows his craft. And that’s how I ended up working on The Wishing Tree: Childhood Memories, my first feature film.

What are your hopes for your career and what’s your biggest goal?

I want to get as far as possible, to work on international projects – what Mihai Mălaimare Jr. achieved by entering the ASC (i.e. the American Society of Cinematographers), that’s the top league for me. I would like to do this constantly, to be able to support myself solely from filmmaking. I would easily give up advertising, especially since there is nothing challenging about it anymore. Cinema has a certain complexity, a different kind of depth, and that’s what I’m interested in.

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Ioana Chițu: “I would like there to be more films that tackle topics such as violence against women or class differences with great responsibility”

In a previous interview for Films in Frame, you talked about the preparation period for making Blue Moon, which was quite long and involved many improvisation exercises. Tell me about your work to get into the character and what you discovered about yourself by playing Irina.

When I read the first draft of the script, I thought it was a difficult role that I wouldn’t be able to carry out, given that it had so many layers. But Alina had a lot of faith in me from the beginning and was the reassuring hand that I needed to get into the story. A lengthy process of research and discovery followed, where the greatest difficulty was building Irina’s character, the way she witnesses and reacts to violence, understanding her struggles, etc. The talks I had with Alina on this matter were crucial, as well as the stories of the girls from disadvantaged backgrounds she had previously documented. Irina is a quiet character, she has a very rich inner world that she doesn’t express the way I express myself in real life. On a personal level, it was better not to be overwhelmed by the role, but to take it as far as I could and see it “grow” from talk to talk, take to take. It is based on all of us – Alina, me, those girls – and I think we found a common thread, which tells the story of women’s condition in patriarchy – a topic that I believe should be discussed more.

What helps you in general in the dynamics and working process with the director and other actors?

I’ve always had a problem with authority and power balance, so in general, I look for projects where you have a say and power is more or less evenly distributed. If in film it’s more difficult to find that, in theatre, I have access to collective groups that care about such dynamics. They value relationships built on collaboration, honesty, and trust, which I find to be the healthiest. That helps me a lot because it makes me feel safe. Safe to be curious – which is crucial for me in my work – and brave. Without them, I tend to fall into the other extreme, lose confidence and judge myself, and then I need other people to step in and validate things for me. I think we all need validation at certain times in life, the important thing is where we seek it.

Are there certain topics that interest you in particular when choosing a project?

I’m interested in topics that focus on people from less privileged or marginalised groups. It may be a small artistic contribution, but it’s my way of trying to help these groups be represented. I would like there to be more films that tackle topics such as education, violence against women, class differences, etc. with great responsibility, dedication, and awareness. Films that spark debate and try to change the status quo. And I’m also interested in projects that address topical issues – feminism, mental health, or since we’ve had a wave of anti-communist films, maybe it’s time for anti-capitalist films because that’s what’s affecting us now. I was just talking recently with a friend about a meme that said “you’re closer to being homeless and jobless than you are to becoming a millionaire, so be careful who you align yourself with”. (laughs)

What are your hopes for your career and the film industry?

I’m not the most optimistic person, but I think that imagination, fantasy, and aspiration are revolutionary acts. Otherwise, we lose all hope. I hope for a future where we have access to resources to build projects that can create change for vulnerable groups that need a voice. A future where women directors are more encouraged, and sensitivity and vulnerability are no longer seen as a disadvantage, where we talk about certain issues from a female and feminist perspective. I want to work with people who share the same values as me. It’s a great privilege to be able to choose because it comes with fewer financial resources, but in the long run, I’m more at peace with myself and what I do.

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Ana Indricău: “I received a lot of support on the set and that has given me courage”

Ana, before talking about your debut in film and your character Magda, tell us a bit about yourself. I know you are in your second year at the Faculty of Music and Theater in Timișoara, what drew you to acting?

I was born in Timișoara, I left there and returned two years ago. As a child, I did ballroom dancing for six years, which led me to move around the country with my parents. We lived briefly in Reșita and Brăila, then we moved to Bucharest, where we stayed because I joined a dancesport club. In high school, I thought about pursuing choreography, but at some point, I changed my mind. I ultimately chose theatre; it seemed interesting, so I did four years of acting at the Dinu Lipatti High School. When we started Eurhythmics classes, I realised that I really liked it. So, while in high school I chose theatre more to avoid maths and chemistry, in college, I wanted to continue what I was doing; I had developed a liking for performing on stage. I didn’t get into UNATC, so I tried in Timișoara – and now I’m back home.

How did the experience in ballroom dancing influenced your evolution in acting?

I think it gave me a lot of discipline and self-confidence. I’ve learned from dance and sports that if I’m confident in myself, I can do anything. And there is also a certain freedom. Like when you hear the music – you move with it, you don’t think too much. I think these things helped me a lot in being present, in managing my emotions in front of the audience and the camera. On set, I could feel the camera, but I liked its presence. It was like a friend; I didn’t feel like it was bothering me or that it was too close. At dance competitions, you are right there in the spotlight, you are very exposed, with all the judges on the sidelines analysing your every move, and perhaps being used to that helped me feel more comfortable on the set.

It’s a first, as they say, a first experience that you won’t forget. What stayed with you the most from working on Marocco / Mikado?

I felt very good and supported. Although at the beginning, I was nervous about failing, about disappointing, about being way below the other experienced actors, I was quickly set at ease because I got a lot of encouragement. From the costume people to Emanuel Pârvu and Miruna Berescu, the film’s producer. I was already 18, still, they insisted on talking to my parents about what was going to happen and how it was going to go, which gave me a sense of security. Another thing that stayed with me is working with Şerban Pavlu, who is incredibly funny, and Crina Semciuc, who was very supportive. I had a scene where I had to cry, and I was more nervous about it than the sex scene with Tudor (i.e. Tudor Cucu-Dumitrescu, her co-star), but talking to Crina before helped me relax. I

was very eager to go on the set. For me, it was an extraordinary experience, which gave me a lot of courage, and I am very grateful to everyone.

How would you like your career to evolve?

I really want to continue acting, both in film and theatre. I want to perform at the highest level and work with great people. I feel like I can get there, I am willing to work hard and have the right energy in that direction. Another thing I learned is that I have to be committed, to concentrate on work, and that there needs to be mutual respect. Since then, only good things have happened to me: I’ve met many people, attended film screenings and theatre plays, and I go to as many auditions as I can. And the fact that I received this nomination from people in the industry made me happy.

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Cristina Popa: “I want to always be empathetic and very attentive”

How did you get into editing – was it a dream you had since school or a profession you discovered along the way?

It’s quite funny. When I was a teenager, I had a YouTube channel and used to edit all sorts of videos, which I had completely forgotten about until I applied to UNATC. Then, when I got a little older, I started watching documentaries. I wanted to make documentary films, where editing is the most important part, so I thought I should learn how to do that. I decided at the last minute, before the admission exam, and once I got in, I realised that I couldn’t have done anything else.

How old were you when you started your YouTube channel?

About 12-13. I was making music videos. It was a distant relative I met by chance that reminded me of it, and I told them that I study editing.

That’s pretty awesome. Tell me about your three collaborations – the films you’re nominated for, two of which are documentaries.

I met Mihai Dragolea at Sarajevo Talents in 2021, and he asked if I wanted to work on his short Aurică, a Dog’s Life. I usually prefer to get to know the director a bit before starting a project so I can see if we have a good and constructive dynamic, but here I said yes right away. Although fiction, the way the film was shot was closer to documentary, with situations that were rather provoked than directed, which made it very interesting when it came to editing. Together with Mihai, who already had experience in editing, we somehow managed to reach a consensus regarding the approach we should take. I learned a lot and I am very grateful to him for that. Plus, we remained very good friends.

Arsencik’s First Birthday was perhaps the most difficult to make. We started working on it right when the war broke out and things were happening while we were editing. Besides the unpredictability of the whole context, it was very delicate because we had to cut many scenes that could incriminate the protagonist.

The film follows a refugee from Ukraine who arrives in Romania at the beginning of the war with a one-year-old child, hoping to get to England. The problem is that she doesn’t have a passport for the child and here she runs into a corrupt system where she has to pay bribes and pull strings to obtain the passport. In documentary filmmaking, it’s especially important to consider those in front of the camera who are in a vulnerable position, as they are offering you a piece of their life.

On Our Home, I worked with a colleague from UNATC, with whom I had worked before and still work with – Bogdan Alecsandru. Being good friends, we already had a common language, which helped a lot in dealing with a more intimate subject.

What do you enjoy most about being a film editor?

You get to establish human connections that I don’t know how else you could make. An artistic collaboration involves a different kind of intimacy, closeness, and understanding of the person you work with, and often you end up developing some very close friendships and connections. In my case, I’ve remained in touch with all three directors I’ve worked with, they’re like family.

What are your hopes for your career and what’s your biggest goal?

I want to become as good and resourceful as possible – every film comes with different challenges, and it’s important to be prepared for anything. I want my input to be valuable for the project, to know that those I work with have something to learn from me and vice versa.

I want to always be empathetic and very attentive. And to know how to communicate, still working on it – as well as on my craft, I’m still very young (laughs). But with each project, with each collaboration, I add another piece to the puzzle – what other profession can offer you that?

The Gopo Awards will take place tonight, April 25, at the Bucharest National Theater and can be watched live on voyo.ro, TIFF Unlimited and premiilegopo.ro. The hosts are Marius Manole and Lia Bugnar.

Laura Mușat

Film producer and founder of ADFR, she dreamed since she was little of having a magazine one day. Alongside her job as editor-in-chief, she writes the interview of the month. She loves animals, jazz music and films festivals.

Anca Vancu

Journalist. She worked for ten years at Adevărul and DoR as a reporter and for a while in communication. At Films in Frame, she coordinates the whole team with Laure, while also editing some of the articles about the film industry, trying to always find interesting angles to tell a story.