Roma Director Alina Șerban on Venice Premiere of Historic Debut ‘I Matter’

Alina Șerban has long been a pioneer for Roma representation in cinema, but this week marks a significant milestone as her feature directorial debut, “I Matter,” makes its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Screening in the Venice Spotlight section, the film is noted as the first feature directed by a Roma woman to be showcased at a major international festival.

Șerban’s journey to the Lido is a testament to overcoming substantial odds. Raised in poverty in Bucharest and placed in a state orphanage at a young age, she became the first in her family to complete high school. She went on to study at the Academy of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography in Bucharest, earned a degree from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and completed a master’s at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Inspired by her own experiences, “I Matter” follows a young Roma woman training to be an actor who faces eviction from her orphanage and must confront the realities of building a life independently. Based on Șerban’s 2021 short film of the same name, the feature was produced by microFILM, 2Pilots Filmproduction, Frakas Prods., and Lemming Film, with international sales handled by Pluto Film.

Before turning to directing, Șerban established herself as a celebrated stage actress in Romania. In her 30s, she created and staged pioneering plays that offered a radical, feminist Roma perspective. “I tried to show the humanity of these people. Not to portray them as victims nor villains. Not to self-exoticize. But also to celebrate ourselves,” she said of her earlier work.

The lead role in “I Matter” is played by newcomer Denisa Farcaș. Șerban described the production as a collaborative process, allowing the cast to explore themes of acceptance and ownership of their narratives. “I’m nervous about the pressure of being ‘the first’ — all the firsts,” Șerban told Variety. “But I also have this immense relief, and the feeling of being grateful that I managed to pull through something almost impossible.”

The Venice premiere will see nearly two dozen cast members in attendance, including 16 child performers from the film. Roma band Mahala Rai Banda is set to serenade red-carpet arrivals. Although Șerban previously attended Venice in 2023 for Goran Stolevski’s “Housekeeping for Beginners,” she emphasized the unique significance of this occasion. “This is such a historical moment for me, and also for the Roma community,” she said. “It’s a moment of celebration. And I want to look back and say I did everything in my power for the people in the team to [share this] moment.”