Marian Crișan Gears Up for New Film "Holy Light" in Romania This August
Renowned filmmaker Marian Crișan, celebrated for winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes for his short film "Megatron" and directing the award-winning feature "Morgen" and the HBO series "Silent Valley," is set to begin production on his latest project, "Holy Light," in Romania this August. This highly anticipated film is a collaborative effort among Crișan’s Rova Film, Moldova’s Alternative Cinema, and Slovakia’s Nukleon Frame, with funding from CNC Romania, CNC Moldova, and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.
Speaking with Variety during the Transilvania Film Festival, where he is showcasing Ilinca Straton and Eugen Dediu’s project "At King’s Gate" at the Pitch Stop, Crișan shared insights into the inspiration behind "Holy Light." The film draws its themes from the Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony, a venerable ritual that takes place annually at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on the eve of Easter. This miraculous event involves the lighting of a sacred fire, which is then distributed to Orthodox countries, including Romania.
"The Holy Light spreads from large cities to small towns and villages, theoretically reaching every corner of Romania within six hours," Crișan explained. Set in contemporary Romania, the film follows the spiritual journey of a father and his 10-year-old son in a picturesque mountain village as they travel to the airport to retrieve the holy light for their local church. The story unfolds over a single day, depicting a coming-of-age narrative condensed into a 12-hour timeframe from morning to midnight.
The director delves deeper into the child’s transformative experience, highlighting a moment when the boy becomes separated from his father and must make the trek back up the mountain alone—a powerful biblical metaphor. "As he ascends, he grapples with profound questions about life, the essence of the holy light, and the possibility of miracles. This innocent child wonders if resurrection is real and if light can indeed restore life," Crișan elaborated.
To find the perfect young actor for this pivotal role, Crișan conducted open auditions, reviewing over 200 candidates before selecting Andrei Voicu. "Finding such a young actor is challenging, and I look for talent suited for film rather than theater," he noted. "Andrei is a gem; he has already appeared in a TV series and brings impressive experience to the role."
Joining Voicu in the main cast are Marius Cordoș and Ofelia Popii. Crișan also discussed the advantages of co-producing with partners from Moldova and Slovakia, explaining that budgetary constraints in Romania align well with those in neighboring countries. "It makes sense to collaborate with partners of similar scale; going to larger markets, like Germany, would require budgets that exceed our typical costs of around 700,000 euros," he remarked. "As a smaller country, we lack extensive distribution networks, which limits our film industry’s growth."
On the topic of European film festivals, Crișan expressed hopes for completing post-production in time for the Cannes selection window. "Romanian films have made their mark at major festivals for over two decades, and it’s exciting to see our cinema continue to evolve," he emphasized. Despite the challenges of filming with a child actor in mountainous terrain, Crișan is eager to commence production once the Transilvania Film Festival concludes.
Stay tuned for updates on "Holy Light," as Marian Crișan continues to explore profound themes through the lens of Romanian cinema.
