Marilena from P7 (2005)

‘The idea behind Marilena from P7 belonged to Andreea Vălean, who had suggested it as a form of exercise in cinematography to the DoP Liviu Mărghidan, my collaborator. I find it fascinating to analyze what we’re capable of doing in order to impress a person we’re in love with. The opportunity didn’t arise until last autumn and it was then that I rewrote the script with Tudor Voican.’ (Cristian Nemescu, ProTvMagazin, May 19, 2006)
‘At the National University of Theatre and Film in their 3rd year cinematography students have to make a film, so I started writing with Cătălin Mitulescu a story about some kids who are hanging out in a basement looking at hookers. Mitulescu insisted that the kids should steal a trolley bus, but I didn’t think it had a visual potential. Eventually, we gave up the idea because it was too expensive to make it and I did another film with Cătălin. Nemescu, however, was hung up on that film and rewrote it entirely with Tudor Voican, turning it into a story that went straight to my heart, as I was a kid from the bloke on the inside myself. That’s how Marilena from P7was born. In order to film in Rahova, a neighborhood where everyone is connected to drugs, we met up with a sort of local Roma king and he explained to us that every apartment building has a leader of its own. While he was explaining this to us, my wallet got stolen.’ (Liviu Mărghidan, HotNews.ro)