Watch: award-winning film created by mini传媒. students and grads
Wednesday 21 January 2026
A听film created by students and graduates from across mini传媒. has听picked up an award at听an international film festival.听
Rusalia was written, directed and produced by third-year Acting (Screen & Digital) student Horia Bazavan. It was named Best Arthouse Film at the Absurd Film Festival - Milan.听
It鈥檚听a collaboration with Filmmaking graduates and Music, Sound Technology and Theatre & Performance Design students.听
We caught up with Horia to discuss the film.听
Describe the film 鈥� what can viewers expect?
Rusalia听is based on Romanian folklore, with a twist.听It鈥檚听experimental, primal, raw, and animalistic.听
The film itself is an experience.听It鈥檚听short and intense, and so far, hearing people鈥檚 reactions has been听very exciting. I think viewers should watch it and reflect on the feelings or emotions they experience while the story unfolds.听It鈥檚听certainly different for everyone, but听I鈥檇听advise听turning the music up and fully embracing the rawness of the performances.听
This film is a real collaboration with different disciplines 鈥� how important to your training is getting the opportunity to work with students from different courses?听
It鈥檚听an incredible environment to create art and be surrounded by artists from different fields. The project听wouldn鈥檛听be what it is without the entire crew 鈥� from music and sound to costume and makeup 鈥� everyone worked incredibly hard, and that really shows.听I鈥檝e听met so many talented individuals through this process, people I know听I鈥檒l听be working with for a long time moving forward.听
How important is it to you to develop your own independent work?听
It鈥檚听crucial.听I鈥檓听very passionate听about what I do, and often, as an actor, you听don鈥檛听have the freedom to create the art you听truly want听to make. Because of that, I had to step outside the box and create my own work, and听I鈥檓听very grateful听that听it鈥檚听now being recognised on an international level. We shot it in October, released it in November, and by December we had our first nominations, followed by our first win at the start of the year.听It鈥檚听honestly amazing how it all had this domino effect. You physicalise an idea, bring people on board, and suddenly听you鈥檙e听winning awards and certificates for something that started as your own vision.听
What's next for the film?听
We鈥檙e听expecting a lot more attention around the film;听it鈥檚听been听submitted听worldwide and, just a month after its release,听it鈥檚听already being awarded and talked about. Although听it鈥檚听a short film,听it鈥檚听part of something bigger and much more ambitious that听we鈥檙e听hoping to develop by the end of this year, depending on the recognition it receives over the coming months.听
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Credits:
Crew
Directed, written and produced: Horia Bazavan - Acting (Screen & Digital)
Creative director and choreographer: Noor Liu de Biolley 鈥� Acting (Screen & Digital)
Camera operator: Jake Beau Fell 鈥� Filmmaking & Creative Technologies graduate
Hair and makeup/costume department: Lucy O'Connor 鈥� Theatre & Performance Design
Music producer and composer: Zong Xu Steinhoff - Music (Popular, Contemporary & Commercial)
Assistant producer: Ben Brown 鈥� Filmmaking & Creative Technologies graduate and MA Music Industry Management student
Lighting: Lucie de Lint 鈥� Filmmaking & Creative Technologies graduate
Sound technician: Isla Fleming 鈥� Sound Technology
Vocals: Bianca Pana
Electric guitar: Corn Harrison - Music (Popular, Contemporary & Commercial)
Music mixing engineer: Louis Roberts 鈥� Sound Technology
Cast
Rusalia: Noor Liu De Biolley
Adam: Horia Bazavan
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