INTERVIEW “A three-centimeter higher curb makes the difference between a successful stunt and a failed one.” How complicated it was to film the first Romanian “Fast & Furious” in Bucharest

“The biggest challenges were related to filming on the street. We only had authorization to film between 11 p.m. and 4:30 a.m.,” director Anghel Damian tells how the first Romanian film with car races was made in the capital. “The Race”, which many already compare with the much more famous “Fast & Furious”, is also the most expensive independent Romanian film, which cost around 3 million euros.

• The movie “The Race” will hit theaters nationwide on October 24.

In the Romanian cinematic landscape, the release of an action film involving illegal car racing (made independently, with a record budget, and shot on the streets of Bucharest) seems like a bet with enormous stakes. “The Race”, directed by Anghel Damian (co-directed with Millo Simulov), promises great sensations. The production is promoted as “the most expensive Romanian independent film” so far. It is also the first domestic film available in 4DX format, with sensory special effects that amplify vibrations, drifts, engine revs and impressive visual risks.

The cast brings together popular actors such as Denis Hanganu, Codin Maticiuc, Ştefania, Andi Vasluianu and others, who – along with professional stuntmen, supercars, spectacular tracks – hope to offer the Romanian public (and not only) the experience of a local “Fast & Furious”.

We are thus facing a project that, if successful, can change the way we rethink Romanian genre productions, the infrastructure of filming with machines, the investment in the spectacular and the artistic risk.

In this context, HotNews spoke with director Anghel Damian about cars, stunts and effects, but also about how far Romanian cinema can go.

– What exactly inspired you to make a film centered on illegal car racing in Romania?
– Angel Damian: It was, in fact, a collective process. I entered the project at a time when the idea of ​​making a movie with cars already existed — initiated by my colleagues and co-producers of the film: Codin Maticiuc, Anca Truță and Andy Popescu. They were the initial engine of the dream, and I came in on the creative side, to turn it from an idea into a film.

For me, that kind of resonated immediately. I grew up in the 90s–2000s, a time when American action movies were part of the emotional education of any post-transition kid. Everyone dreamed of cars, of freedom, of speed—it was a symbol of escape, of the power to control your own destiny.

In the series I've done before, I've been testing car scenes and stunts in bits and pieces. I've long wanted to push this area of ​​”sensational” cinema, genre film further. I'm a big believer in the idea that a director should diversify his means. To try, to make mistakes, to broaden his visual and technical palette. You can't stabilize stylistically until you explore new territories. I had the chance to direct and write premium series, where I accumulated thousands of hours of footage, and this gave me the freedom and confidence to take the natural step into “The Race”.

– How was the team of actors shaped and what criteria were the basis of the casting choices?
– The cast was carefully built through an extensive casting process. In a genre film, especially a commercial one, you have to balance three things: the fit of the actor for the role, the quality of the performance and that element we call star power.

It is very important for the audience to trust the faces they see. There should be chemistry between the characters, but also an energy that keeps the pace of the film. Denis Hanganu, for example, brings an inner tension that perfectly suits the type of character. Codin comes with charisma and a kind of recognizable presence, which is important in commercial film. Andi Vasluianu brings weight, experience, humanity.

In addition to the actors, we had a complex team: professional stuntmen, car consultants, mechanics, pilots. I wanted all these worlds to come together organically — the world of the actors, the technicians, the people who actually live around the machines.

– “The first Romanian action film with cars” — how does this premiere translate concretely on a cinematic level?
– Yes, “Cursa” is the first Romanian film that assumes the “car movie” genre in the classic sense. It's not just a movie with a chase scene. It's a genre construct, with over 40% of the film dedicated to pure action, stunts and visual tension.

It is a very specific genre, with clear rules and conventions, which has not existed in Romania until now. Sure, there were isolated sequences through other films, but no one really set out to build a car movie in all its complexity.

For me, this was one of the biggest challenges: to put together a film that respects the standards of the genre, but remains authentically Romanian — recognizable as a world, as a tone, as a humor, as a human typology.

“State-funded films are exempt from many taxes”

– Did you encounter any challenges in collaborating with local authorities in the filming process?
– The manufacturers, fortunately, do not. They were dreamers like me. Nobody thought of this movie as a financial gamble. It was a bet for the industry, for the profession, for raising standards.

But yes, there was a long and complex authorization process. The script was written very specifically on certain streets, on certain portions of Bucharest, and some could not be used. We had to constantly adapt.

Unfortunately, the framework in which independent film works in Romania is complicated. It's a young industry with no real support from the administrative system. The independent film lives a paradox: it is the only one where there is a real, personal risk on the part of investors — and yet it is the least supported by the state.

Those who come with their own money, who take risks and hire hundreds of people, pay for every meter of street or for every hour of filming. In contrast, state-funded films are exempt from many taxes. It's not a criticism, it's just a reality of the system.

– What were the biggest technical and logistical challenges?
– The biggest ones, of course, were those related to shooting on the street. We didn't have the opportunity to repeat on the real routes in Bucharest, so we built replicas on circuits outside the city. But every centimeter of different asphalt changes your dynamics. A three-inch higher curb can make the difference between a successful stunt and a missed one.

In addition, 70% of the film takes place at night, and we shot in the summer, when the night is short. The permits only allowed us to block traffic between 11pm and 4:30am. Basically, a day of filming was half an actual day.

Even though the budget was high for an independent film, the actual shooting time was very short. To make the film at the technical level we proposed, we would have needed a triple budget. So we compensated through creativity, hard work and remarkable collective resilience.

– How much of the film is real and how much is CGI (computer generated imagery)? To what extent does the film use real effects versus CGI elements?
– About 90% is real. The cars, the stunts, everything is filmed for real. Digital post-production is only there to correct, to finish, not to replace. “The Race” is, in a way, an old school film, made with traditional means, at the limit, at a time when the world of film is moving more and more towards digital and AI. It is probably the last car movie filmed with such realism in Romania.

– The estimated production budget was around 4 million euros. Can you confirm this amount?
– No, it wasn't that much. It was somewhere around 3 million euros. It's still a considerable budget for a Romanian independent film, especially for such a technical genre. And we still don't have the full picture, because promotion, marketing, campaigns — all will come into play later.

– What were the main areas of expenditure and what generated the highest costs in production?
– In the first place, without a doubt, automotive logistics — cars, maintenance, transportation, repairs. Then, the authorizations, the payments for the streets, for the locations. In third place, the stunts.

But actually everything was above average: the equipment, the insurance, the size of the team. We shot with four to five cameras simultaneously, with up to five DOPs on set, because you can't risk missing a stunt. You only get one chance and you have to see it from all angles.

There were also accidents during filming

– Were there any accidents or losses?
– Yes, there have been accidents—and they are obviously unfortunate. There are moments that leave traces, even if they are only material. In an action movie, accidents always occur from a mix of factors: minimal human error, a delayed reaction, a mechanical problem, or a second of inattention. Sometimes it's just a matter of luck.

We have had such incidents, but, fortunately, without consequences for people. Material losses only — cars damaged, equipment destroyed. About 70–80% of them were covered by insurance, the rest was borne by us, the producers.

They are traumatic experiences, even if they are part of the job. No matter how much you plan, the risk is there. If you look at the great genre (action) movies in the world — Batman, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Mission Impossible — they all had accidents, some even tragic. This is the reality of this type of cinema. It's a genre that demands a lot, emotionally, technically and physically. The important thing is that we got through without any human traces and that we were still left with a film that we are proud of.

– The movie “The Race” has been compared to “Fast & Furious”. How do you see the parallel?
– The comparison is natural, it's the first reference when you say “car movie”. We have always taken “Fast & Furious 1” as a benchmark. That was a film anchored in reality, about community, loyalty, adrenaline. A story with an engine, but also with a soul.

After that, the franchise naturally evolved in a spectacular, global direction with other dimensions. Instead, we wanted to stay close to the original emotion — the energy of that original film, which made you think you could be a part of that world.

– How did you balance the urban realism of the film with the spectacular side of action cinema?
– “The Race” is a rawer, more “analog” film. I didn't go for the glitz, I went for the feel. There are moments when we approach the experience of gaming, especially in the final race, but the film remains anchored in the reality of the city and the people who populate it.

We also wanted to keep that mythological side of the car world, but not through visual artifices, but through people, how they look at cars. In this world, a car is not just an object, it is an extension of identity.

– What role do music and sound design play?
– An essential one. In a car movie, sound is half the story. The mix, the sound effects, the vibration of the engines — all build the audience's sensory experience.

I spent over five months in post-production just on sound and music. I wanted each moment to have its own pulsation. 80% of the soundtrack is Romanian, urban, current music. The music of today's generation. It is the film of a generation that finds its voice also through music and sound.

– Will there be a sequel?
– Yes. The second part is already thought of, and in this film we planted the elements that will help us build it further. There is a clear structure, a story that flows naturally.

But everything depends on the audience. If people will vibe to “Race”, we'll move on. Not just with a sequel, but perhaps with a franchise that will become a tradition of Romanian action cinema.