Interview with Romanian filmmaker Mihai Mincan at Venice Film Festival
It's my second interview with Mihai Mincan after our interview couples of year ago in Venice, where he competed for the supreme award at Venice International Film Festival with his last feature film "To the North".
Once again he is in competition and once again the world premiere of his new film "Milk teeth" takes place in Venice, the place to.be!
In the final days of Ceausescu's Romania, a ten-year-old girl becomes the last witness to her sister's mysterious disappearance and must find the courage to grow up in a collapsing world.
Milk Teeth is a 2025 political fantasy drama film directed and written by Mihai Mincan. It stars Emma Ioana Mogos as Maria, a ten-year-old girl affected her sister's disappearance during the final days of Nicolae Ceaușescu's dictatorship in 1989. While the world premiere took place in Venice, the film traveled to other major festivals like Toronto International Film Festival right afterwards. And now it has been selected for the upcoming El Gouna International Film Festival running 16-24.10 with Romanian actress Marina Palii, born in the Republic of Moldova, presenting the film at the GFF in Gouna. While I interviewed the director Mihai Mincan in Venice, I will be interviewing actress Marina Palii in El Gouna.
The El Gouna Film Festival selection focuses on deeply personal dramas, family reckonings and urgent political and historical narratives.
The El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) has an impressive lineup for the Feature Narrative Competition (FNC) of its eighth edition, confirming a powerful slate of 13 international titles that span continents, cultures and cinematic styles. The selection includes for the very first time a Romanian film. Showcasing a dynamic mix of acclaimed auteurs and emerging storytellers, Mihai Mincan’s Milk Teeth competes with Choi Lloyd Lee’s Lucky Lu and last by not least with Jim Jarmusch’s Venice Golden Lion winner Father Mother Sister Brother.
This year’s competition presents a spectrum of contemporary storytelling, emotional, political and deeply personal, featuring titles from festivals such as Venice, Cannes and Berlinale. The films delve into themes of family bonds, memory, moral conflict and the human spirit against the backdrop of shifting social realities.
Speaking about the selected lineup, Andrew Mohsen, Head of Film Programming at GFF, said: “This year’s Feature Narrative Competition is a powerhouse of contemporary storytelling. To lock the lineup with a Golden Lion winner like Jim Jarmusch’s film, alongside established auteurs and a strong crop of Arab cinema, speaks to the high calibre of GFF 2025. These films are not just entertaining; they explore the most intimate corners of the human experience and deliver exceptional cinematic craft.”
Marianne Khoury, Artistic Director of the festival, added: “Narrative cinema allows us to step into another person’s world, fostering empathy that transcends borders. This competition selection is defined by its emotional depth—stories of fractured families, political awakening, and personal endurance. It reflects the global diversity we champion and promises our audience both cinematic excellence and profound connection.”
The 13 selected films are Adam’s Sake by Laura Wandel, Father Mother Sister Brother by Jim Jarmusch, Lucky Lu by Choi Lloyd Lee, Milk Teeth by Mihai Mincan, My Father’s Scent by Mohamed Siam, Nino by Pauline Loquès, A Pale View of Hills by Kei Ishikawa, A Poet by Simón Mesa Soto, Romeria by Carla Simón, The Settlement by Mohamed Rashad, Shadowbox by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, Two Prosecutors, and Where the Wind Comes From by Amel Guellaty.
From intimate human dramas to politically charged narratives, this year’s lineup underscores GFF’s commitment to promoting global storytelling excellence. Highlights include Jarmusch’s family drama Father Mother Sister Brother, Cannes Rising Star Award winner Nino, and A Poet, which earned the Jury Prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section. Other notable entries such as Romeria, The Settlement and Milk Teeth explore family reconciliation, truth-seeking, and historical transition with striking emotional depth.
Competing filmmakers will vie for six major awards, including the El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film, carrying a prize of $50,000, followed by the Silver Star ($25,000) and Bronze Star ($15,000). The festival will also present the El Gouna Star for Best Arab Narrative Film ($20,000), along with honours for Best Actor and Best Actress.
Alice Kanterian
