03-06-2011

FNE at TIFF Romanian Film Days: The Phantom Father

By Iulia Blaga

    Lucian Georgescu comes to TIFF's Romanian Film Days with his feature film debut The Phantom Father.

    {mosimage}The € 1.2 million film was produced by Georgescu and Generic Audiovizual SRL (GAV) - Romania (www.gav.ro). The project received a grant from the Romanian Film Centre (www.cncinema.abt.ro), and a €20,000 grant from the MEDIA Programme. The film is co-financed by the Romanian companies Mediacom, Starcom Media, Initiative Media and Media Direction.

    The film is based on a story of the cult American screenwriter Barry Gifford (Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, City of Ghosts), who also plays a small part in The Phantom Father. The main character - an American professor starting a trip to Vienna, Transylvania and Bucovina in order to find his roots - is played by the Romanian actor Marcel Iureş (Mission: Impossible, Amen, The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 2).

    The story is partly biographical since Gifford's grandfather left Bucovina for Vienna and finally settled in the United States. The main shoot ended in December 2008, but additional shooting took place in April 2009 and for 8 days in spring 2010, involving Romanian actors Victor Rebengiuc and Mariana Mihuţ.

    Joachim Von Vietinghoff is Senior Consultant Producer. The DOP is Liviu Marghidan (California Dreamin'). The film is in English, but the cast (except Gifford) is entirely Romanian (Mihaela Sârbu, Mihai Constantin, Valer Dellakeza, Nicodim Ungureanu, Mirela Oprişor). The German composer Johannes Malfatti worked on the music in Berlin.

    The Phantom Father (www.thephantomfather.com) is the first part of "a trilogy of bitter comedies and fantasy tales of foreigners visiting a mysterious land with which they share love and hate, stories, memories or ghosts," the producers said.

    Company information

    GAV (Generic Audiovizual SRL)

    Bucharest 48 Plantelor Street 023975, Sector 2, Romania

    Tel: 0040-21-31.71.356

    Fax: 0040-21-31.71.286

    Mobile: 0040-72.81.17.755

    www.gav.ro

    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    MediaCom Romania

    Bucharest, 39 Frumoasă Street, Sector 1, Romania

    Tel: 0040- 21 - 314.50.10

    Fax: 0040- 21 - 314.50.15

    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    www.greyro.com

    Starcom Media

    13, Nicolae Iorga Street, Romania

    Tel: 0040-21-201 6140

    Fax: 0040-21-201 6141

    www.starcommedia.com

    Initiative Media

    Bucharest 17 Ceasornicului Street, Sector 1, Romania

    Tel: 0040-21 - 3010100

    Fax: 0040- 21 - 3010199

    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    www.initiativemedia.ro

    Media Direction

    Bucharest 41Argentina Street

    Sector 1 Romania

    Tel: 0040-21-230.60.22

    Fax: 0040-21-230.60.36

    Credits

    Director, screenwriter and producer: Lucian Georgescu

    Based on a story by: Barry Gifford

    Cinematographer: Liviu Marghidan

    Cast: Marcel Iureş

    Mihaela Sârbu

    Mihai Constantin

    Valer Dellakeza

    Nicodim Ungureanu

    Barry Gifford

    Victor Rebengiuc

    Mariana Mihuţ

    Mirela Oprişor