Mammalia (2023)

Trivia

• Working title: Dublă fericire / ​Double Happiness

​Sebastian Mihailescu about the movie:
“This film is a surrealist drama, an incisive exploration of the masculine outlook on life and of the fight against passiveness, against the fear of losing control and balance, against capitulation when faced with overwhelming experiences. Can men make the world a better place? Can men be vulnerable, weak, intuitive, insecure or flexible? Camil feels lessened, illusions grow too obvious to be believed, and he is forced to face up to his own masculinity.”
“The film satirizes the way that classic binary gender roles are often rigidly defined in society, and it highlights the performative nature of gender identity, emphasizing the ways in which, by assuming our gendered role, each of us contributes to skewed gender discourses and amplifies gender frictions. With ‘Mammalia,’ I wanted to take a detour from realism and naturalism and to create a kind of fairytale, playing with myths and horror tropes, all the while using minimalistic means. This will challenge viewers I hope, inviting them to be more participative and to become aware of the voyeuristic active/passive mechanisms that impact the cinematic experience.”(variety.com)
Diana Paroiu about the movie:
“We’ve set out to create a film with a strong feeling of hyperreality, so all of our creative discussions in the last few months have revolved around the means to be used in order to obtain that feeling. We’re shooting on 16 mm, and we’ve chosen locations which themselves convey an eerie atmosphere, an atmosphere that is heightened by the choice of production design, lighting and special effects. The characters are played by a mix of a professional and non-professional cast, all ready to improvise on the spur of the moment,”
​Flavio Armone, managing director of Lights On:
“We believe ‘Mammalia’ is a true gem, a film able to talk about pressing topics through a unique and personal style. Gender roles and identities are challenged in a way you’d never expect. The world premiere at Berlinale Forum is an amazing start and we can’t wait to bring ‘Mammalia’ out into the world!” (variety.com)