Alina Șerban, acclaimed for her role in ‘Housekeeping for Beginners’, returns to the Venice Film Festival as a director and screenwriter with her debut feature ‘I Matter’, premiering on September 8.

‘I Matter’, a co-production between Romania, Germany, and Belgium, is one of eight films selected for the Spotlight section at the festival, competing for the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut and the Audience Award.

The film tells the story of Rebeca, a Roma teenager preparing to leave a care center, highlighting underrepresented narratives in cinema about the complexities of Roma experiences and adolescence.

• Românca Alina Șerban, prima regizoare de etnie romă selecționată la Festivalul de la Veneția de-a lungul celor 83 de ediții. In: Elle. 03.09.2026. https://www.elle.ro/lifestyle/romanca-alina-serban-prima-regizoare-de-etnie-roma-selectionata-la-festivalul-de-la-venetia-de-a-lungul-celor-83-de-editii-1087164