Romanian documentary ‘TATA’ to premiere on HBO Max in October

The Romanian documentary TATA, directed by Lina Vdovîi and Radu Ciorniciuc, will premiere on HBO Max on October 3, following a successful run on the international film festival circuit. Filmed in Italy, Moldova, and Romania, the documentary captures a daughter’s struggle to break the cycle of family violence while confronting her own painful past.

The film had its world premiere in 2024 at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was the only Romanian documentary selected, and has since screened at more than 25 festivals worldwide, earning seven awards, including honors at the Krakow Film Festival in Poland, FIPADOC in France, and the Trieste Film Festival in Italy.

TATA tells the story of Lina, a Moldovan journalist who receives a disturbing video message from her father, a migrant worker in Italy, showing bruises on his arms allegedly inflicted by his employer. The discovery sparks an emotional investigation into abuse, domestic violence, and generational trauma.

“We are very proud to bring TATA to HBO Max,” said Hanka Kastelicova, Vice President of Documentaries at HBO Max, Warner Bros. Discovery. “This deeply personal and powerful story addresses crucial issues – violence within families and workplace abuse. We hope it sparks genuine dialogue leading to real change and helps break the cycle of inherited trauma.”

Director Lina Vdovîi, who co-directed alongside Radu Ciorniciuc, expressed gratitude for HBO’s early support.

“From the very first stages of developing this film, HBO was one of the strongest supporters of this story. We are thrilled that the documentary will premiere on HBO Max after such an intense and rewarding festival journey. This marks the beginning of a new chapter for TATA, one where it will undoubtedly reach new audiences - and that can only make us happy,” she said.

Produced by Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan through Manifest Film, the documentary is an international co-production involving Corso Film (Germany), HBO Max, 100% (Netherlands), with support from the Romanian Film Center, Eurimages, MDR/ARTE, Netherlands Film Fund, Al Jazeera Documentary, and several European cultural institutions. Autlook Filmsales is handling worldwide distribution.

(Photo source: Warner Bros. Discovery)