Romanian feature film CATANE nominated at Hollywood Music in Media Awards
CATANE, the feature debut of director Ioana Mischie, has received an international nomination at the prestigious Hollywood Music in Media Awards for its original score composed by Emiliano Mazzenga. The film’s music has been selected among the top five film scores worldwide in the International Independent Film category.
The film is the first Romanian production ever recognized at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, according to the press release.
The Hollywood Music in Media Awards is the first major organization to honor original music (song and score) in all forms of visual media, from film and television to video games, advertising, and digital content.
Considered a trusted precursor to the Oscars, Grammys, and Golden Globes, the HMMAs take place annually in Los Angeles and gather nominees from around the world, from Hollywood blockbusters to independent creations. Past winners include Hans Zimmer, Billie Eilish, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Diane Warren, Trent Reznor, and Ludwig Göransson.
This year’s gala will take place on November 19.
CATANE will be released in Romanian cinemas on January 26 by Forum Film, being one of the most anticipated Eastern European debut comedies of 2026. It is a bold cinematic debut inspired by real events.
The movie follows three inspectors who arrive in an isolated village following a rumor that all inhabitants are receiving social aid. What begins as a bureaucratic mission soon turns into an emotional, initiatory journey. They discover a system of survival built on ingenuity, solidarity, and a unique moral code, both unsettling and fascinating. The leading roles are played by Costel Cașcaval, Iulia Lumânare, and Cristian Bota, forming a memorable trio.
The film reveals the distinct voice of Ioana Mischie. Methodologically, the film combines script rigor and the freedom of improvisation, building a subtle balance between stylization and authenticity. The development of the film spanned more than a decade of creative work. It also benefits from the work of Emiliano Mazzenga, a multi-award-winning Italian composer based in Los Angeles. Winner of over 20 music awards, he has composed scores for films such as Dalí, Lacuna, Beta, and Mistake.
The professional collaboration between Ioana Mischie and Emiliano Mazzenga began during a Fulbright scholarship at USC School of Cinematic Arts.
“The original music composed by Emiliano Mazzenga becomes a unique link between the contrasting realities in the film, giving the entire narrative a strong, recognizable, universal aura. Through music, the story breathes differently and transforms into an infinite world, scalable in time, space, and spirit,” said Ioana Mischie.
“For the original score, I recorded several instruments myself (including saxophone, clarinet, and piano), and then recorded several others (such as accordion, violin, viola, and cello) together with talented musicians from around the world. I made a conscious choice to use simple instruments, the kind you might find in an isolated village, but also to combine and shape the sound in a unique and experimental way,” said Emiliano Mazzenga, the composer of the original music.
(Photo source: press release)
