Adrian Sitaru, Vlad Popa
Harakiri
HARAKIRI follows two seemingly unrelated stories: one navigating the superficial and critical approach of a TV show about suicide, the other delving into love and mental health at home.
SYNOPSIS
The story starts with a TV talk show discussing a sensitive, underreported case involving self-harm. PETRICA OSTAS, a 45-year-old man from Bucharest, lives with his wife MARIANA, mother-in-law RODICA, and disabled child. After a job interview, Petrica returns home, faces questions about drinking, and threatens self-harm. Later, he stabs himself in the abdomen, dying from a resulting blood clot. In part two, the same guests play different roles as actors waiting for a casting call, discussing their lives and ethical dilemmas. An authorial voiceover shares a personal story about an affair, touching on themes of guilt and artistic exploitation. The film ends with the characters joking about jumping off a terrace, symbolizing their emotional turmoil. The two parts juxtapose the characters' emotional journeys, emphasizing their search for connection and understanding.
DIRECTOR/WRITER
Adrian Sitaru, Vlad Popa
PRODUCER
Iriana Adnana
PRODUCTION COMPANY
4Proof Film
COUNTRY
Romania
GENRE
Fiction
Adrian Sitaru
ADRIAN SITARU is a renowned Romanian director and screenwriter, noted for his five successful feature films and numerous short films. FIXEUR (2016) was Romania's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. ILLEGITIMATE (2016) won the C.I.C.A.E Award at the Berlinale Forum, while DOMESTIC (2012) was selected in the Official Competition of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival. BEST INTENTIONS (2011) won two Silver Leopard awards at Locarno, while his debut feature, HOOKED (2008), was selected at Venice Days, Toronto IFF, and BFI London. Among Sitaru's short films are WAVES (2007), winner of the Golden Leopard at Locarno, THE CAGE (2009), which gathered 27 awards, including the BAFTA/LA Excellence Certificate, and THE ART (2014). Adrian Sitaru is currently in post-production with BLINDSIGHT, his sixth feature film, supported by the National Center for Cinematography and Creative Europe – MEDIA Slate Funding. Sitaru's experience includes directing part of the Romanian adaptation of IN TREATMENT (2008-2021) – Season 1.
Vlad Popa
VLAD POPA studied film directing at Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, and then completed a master's in the same field at UNATC "I. L. Caragiale," Bucharest. During his studies, he directed several short films, including DIARY WITH MY MOM (2020), HOW ELENA STOLE THE CHRISTMAS (2021), SKETCHES OF STILL LIFE (2022), and ALIBABA (2022). He also worked as a script supervisor on BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN (2022) by Radu Jude, DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH OF THE END OF THE WORLD (2023) by Radu Jude, and BLINDSIGHT (2024) by Adrian Sitaru. He is pursuing a PhD at Babeș-Bolyai University while also teaching within the film directing department.
The film arose from an artistic block both directors faced. We decided to create a film free from pressures and anxieties, aiming for minimal costs, one or two days of shooting, a single location, and a small team. We improvised without a script or multiple takes, embracing accidents and spontaneity. Vlad's project critiqued the casual discussion of heavy topics, filming a single four-hour take to mimic live show pressure, and then one to act as a counterpoint to the show. Adrian's project explored personal memory and themes of theft and illegalities, using scenarios filmed without retakes. We worked separately, unaware of each other's projects, believing that juxtaposed stories would generate new meanings. Inspired by directors like Jacques Rivette and John Waters, our goal was to innovate within low-budget cinema and challenge traditional storytelling. Through this experimental approach, we sought new cinematic expressions and the organic generation of meaning.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Iriana Adnana
IRIANA ADNANA (Cuconu) graduated from the Faculty of Theatre and Film at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, specializing in Film Direction. During her time at the university, she directed five short films, produced seven student films, and had a close collaboration with the university's theater department, contributing to various projects in the areas of photography and videography. In 2023, she joined the film production company 4 Proof Film, where she works on film projects at various stages of development, such as the distribution campaign of the feature film DON'T EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (2023) directed by Radu Jude. Most recently, Iriana had her short film WE’LL LIGHT A CANDLE WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT (2022) screened at the 61st Festival Internacional de Cine de Gijón/Xixón, in the Esbilla Section.
Production company profile
Characterized by an independent spirit and individualistic approach, 4PROOF FILM aims to make films of real artistic value, ranging from short to feature fiction films, to creative documentaries. The most recent project is Radu Jude’s feature DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (2023), which was Romania's proposal for Best International Film at the Academy Awards in 2023.
Where are we at?
TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET
100.000.00 €
NEEDED FOR COMPLETION
66.100.00 €
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