DANI_EL

在繁忙的伦敦市中心，18 岁的年轻罗马尼亚移民丹尼不请自来，到她哥哥的家门口寻求在家乡得不到的自由。丹尼踏上了一段深刻的自我发现之旅，努力探索自己的性别认同，并意外与哥哥神秘的大麻贩子玛达建立了联系。在这个让她享受罗马尼亚所缺乏的自由的城市，丹尼体验到了激情浪漫的快感，同时也在接受真实自我的内心冲突中挣扎。然而，即使在伦敦这样一个多元且看似包容的环境中，展现真实的自己仍然是项艰巨的挑战——这可能会付出巨大的个人代价。

In the vibrant heart of London, 18-year-old Dani, a young Romanian immigrant, arrives unannounced at her brother’s door, seeking the freedom she couldn’t find back home. As Dani embarks on a profound journey of self-discovery, grappling with her gender identity, she forms an unexpected connection with Mada, her brother’s mysterious cannabis dealer. In a city that promises the freedoms denied to her in Romania, Dani experiences the thrill of a passionate romance, while wrestling with the inner conflict of embracing her true self. Yet even in London’s diverse and seemingly accepting environment, revealing her authentic identity remains a daunting challenge—one that may come with a steep personal cost.

导演：琳达·凯恩斯
编剧：卡塔利娜·克罗伊托鲁、尤利亚·帕尔
主演：卡塔利娜·克罗伊托鲁、尤利亚·帕尔
制片人：凯蒂·普拉滕
摄影：尼克·库克
类型：短片
时长：26分钟
完成时间：2023年
对白语言：罗马尼亚语
地区：英国
制片公司：Regard Films

Director: Linda Cairns
Screenwriter: Catalina Croitoru, Iulia Pal
Cast: Catalina Croitoru, Iulia Pal
Producer: Katie Pratten
Cinematographer: Nick Cooke
Genre: Short film
Length: 26 min
Year: 2023
Dialogue: Romanian
Region: UK
Production Company: Regard Films

导演琳达·麦克唐纳·凯恩斯（Linda Cairns）来自英国格拉斯哥，她热衷于挖掘独特的叙事方式，关注那些被社会边缘化的角色。她的虚构类影片导演处女作《穆洛》（Mulo），斩获伦敦国际电影奖最佳新人导演奖。

琳达对多样化声音的追求同样体现在纪录片中。她与叙利亚艺术家诺曼·伊萨（Nouman Issa）的合作作品《叙利亚艺术家的反思》（Reflections of a Syrian Artist）引起了观众共鸣，并正式入选伦敦国际电影节、谢菲尔德纪录片节等重要活动，同时在苏格兰心理健康艺术节上也反响不俗。

琳达·凯恩斯用自己的作品重新定义了叙事艺术，展现出丰富的电影表达手法。

Glasgow director Linda McDonald Cairns has a passion for delving into unique narratives and shedding light on characters often relegated to the sidelines of our world. Her directorial debut in the world of fictional storytelling, “Mulo,” not only won the Best First Time Director Award at the London International Film Awards.
Linda’s commitment to diverse voices extends to the world of documentaries as well. Her collaboration with Syrian based artist Nouman Issa, “Reflections of a Syrian Artist,” resonated with audiences and earned its rightful spot as an official selection at notable events such as LIDF & Sheffield Doc Fest/Doc Player, alongside a notable presence at The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival.

Through her work, Linda Cairns redefines the art of storytelling, humbly contributing to the rich tapestry of cinematic expression.

2021年夏天，我第一次见到编剧卡塔利娜·克罗伊托鲁（Catalina Croitoru）和尤利亚·帕尔（Iulia Pal），她们向我展示了剧本《丹尼尔》的大概草稿，询问我是否有兴趣执导这部影片。对她们来说，这个项目有着深刻的个人意义，旨在挑战罗马尼亚LGBTQ+群体所面临的污名化和歧视问题。

剧本潜力巨大，可以打造出一个深刻且复杂的故事，但仍需要大量的打磨和完善。我们一起踏上这趟旅程，不久后，制片人凯蒂·普拉滕（Katie Pratten）也加入了我们。历经两年的反复修改，剧本终于成熟，可以进入电影制作阶段。

拍摄工作在2023年4月展开，因为预算紧张，许多剧组工作人员自愿提供无偿劳动。我们从一开始就承诺尽量多地让LGBTQ+群体入组，承担台前或幕后的工作。

这个项目让我有机会能够探索一个细腻的爱情故事，这点吸引了我。这种爱不仅存在于两位主人公之间的关系，也涉及兄弟之间的情感。虽然我并不是LGBTQ+群体的一分子，但我相信我能提供一种新鲜的视角，或许会引起有意义的讨论。通过公开探讨这个话题，我们可以更好地理解并解决这一问题。

我希望这部电影在罗马尼亚放映后，能够引发关于其争议性主题的讨论，这一议题在英国媒体中也很突出。

I first met writers Catalina Croitoru and Iulia Pal in the summer of 2021. They presented a rough draft of their script for Dani-El and wanted to see if I would be interested in directing it. The project was deeply personal for them, aimed at challenging the stigma and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Romania.

The script had immense potential for a compelling and complex narrative, but it needed considerable development. We embarked on this journey together, with our producer, Katie Pratten, joining us soon after. Over nearly two years and numerous drafts, the script evolved into something powerful and ready for production.

We filmed in April 2023 on a tight budget, with many crew members contributing their skills pro bono. From the outset, we committed to including as many members of the LGBTQ+ community as possible, both in front of and behind the camera.

I was drawn to this project because it presented an opportunity to explore a nuanced love story, not only between the two lead characters but also involving the brother. Although I am not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I believed I could offer a fresh perspective that might foster meaningful debate. By engaging with the topic openly, we can all work towards understanding and resolution.

My hope is that the film’s screening in Romania will spark discussions on this divisive subject, which is also prominent in the UK media.