Alina Șerban wins Audience Award at Venice Film Festival

Alina Șerban has won the Armani Beauty Audience Award at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival for her feature film debut, ‘I Matter’ (Eu contez). The film, which premiered in the Venice Spotlight section, explores themes of hope, fear, and self-acceptance through the story of Rebeca, a Roma teenager preparing to leave a care home.

Șerban is the first Roma director from Romania to present a feature film at the Venice Film Festival. The film is a multi-national co-production involving Romania, Germany, and Belgium. During her acceptance speech, Șerban dedicated the award to young people who deserve to be heard and seen.

Other major winners at the festival included ‘Woman Unknown’, directed by May El-Toukhy, which received the Golden Lion for Best Film, and John Malkovich, who won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor.