CULTURE · FEATURE FILM · ROMANIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Comoara lui Harap-Alb
Harap-Alb for a new generation
A hero who has grown old in our world. Five children brave enough to believe him. And an adventure that brings the fairy tale into today’s Bucharest.
Directed by Igor Cobileanski from Mihai Mănescu’s novel, the film is made by a team from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, with 90 Susțin volunteers involved.
In post-production · Cinema release planned for 23 April 2027
A familiar hero in a new story
Sebastian is 13 when he finds a mysterious letter that sets him on the trail of a treasure. Together with Iris, Horia, Leti and Bobo, he meets an eccentric old man who claims to be Harap-Alb. Yes, that Harap-Alb. Except the years spent among people have changed him, and now he is the one who needs help.
The five children set off with him on a journey where Bucharest and the world of fairy tales begin to blur. Along the way: the Bald Man, secrets, hard choices and one question - how far do you go for a story you believe in?
The film adapts the novelComoara lui Harap-Albby Mihai Mănescu, published by Humanitas Junior. Starting from Ion Creangă’s universe, the novel opens a contemporary adventure with new characters and events.
Why we make room for this story
We want young people to meet Romanian stories that hold them, make them curious and give them reasons to go to the cinema together.Comoara lui Harap-Albbrings a familiar character into a world close to theirs, with friendships, doubts and courage earned along the way.
For Susțin, the project also opens another door: the one through which young people can step into filmmaking and contribute to what reaches the screen.
From the cinema hall to the film set
At Cinema Europa, young people started by welcoming audiences, running screenings and building events. For 90 volunteers in the Susțin community,Comoara lui Harap-Albmeant the next step: taking part in the making of a feature film, alongside professionals.
They contributed to logistics, production support and behind-the-scenes communication. They discovered what a shooting day involves, how departments work together and how much work goes into a single shot.
David, one of the Cinema Europa coordinators, led the volunteers involved in the project. Andrei Tălmaciu, Theo, Maria and Sara also took on responsibilities in the film’s actual production.
Susțin connected this community with the film crew. The experience gave young people the chance to take on real tasks, ask questions and discover crafts we usually only see in the closing credits.
Comoara lui Harap-Albis a Romania–Republic of Moldova co-production. The teams worked together in both countries: professionals from the Republic of Moldova joined the shoot in Romania, and part of the Romanian crew continued filming across the Prut.
From the sets and locations in Bucharest to the landscapes of the Republic of Moldova, the film is built through the collaboration of its people and of the production companies Colorbitor, Symbol Media and Frame Film.
The people who bring the adventure to life
Igor Cobileanski directs, Adrian Pădurețu is the director of photography, and Mihai Mănescu adapts his own novel for the screen. In front of the camera, Bogdan Farcaș is Harap-Alb, Iulian Postelnicu plays the Bald Man, and five young actors carry the adventure forward.
DIRECTOR
Igor Cobileanski
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adrian Pădurețu
SCREENPLAY
Mihai Mănescu
PRODUCERS
Andrei Gâțu, Costin Crețulescu, Mihai Mănescu
CO-PRODUCERS
Arcadie Plăcintă, Andrei Boncea
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Raluca Ioanovici
COSTUMES
Francisca Vass
MAKE-UP
Dana Bordea
PRODUCTION
Colorbitor
CO-PRODUCTION
Symbol Media and Frame Film
CAST
With Andrei Voicu, Maria Tulea, Matei Donciu, Mihai Petre, Miriam Șimșensohn, Bogdan Farcaș, Iulian Postelnicu, Ada Lupu and Ionuț Cornilă.
A story that began between covers
Mihai Mănescu’s novel, published by Humanitas Junior in 2024, won the children’s literature prize at the 2025 Cărturino Awards. The film opens a new path to its audience.
Through the book caravan, Susțin brought the novel and meetings with the author to 1,000 pupils in Olt, Dâmbovița and Ilfov, according to results reported for 2025. The book, the school meetings and the film create different ways to discover the same story.
A set goes up. An actor goes into make-up. The children rehearse, the camera is readied, and the crew tries another take. Behind the scenes you can see how much work and patience the adventure on screen demands.
We opened the production to the public through photographs, shooting diaries and meetings with the crew. Volunteers contributed to this story too, bringing the crafts, the moments and the energy of the set closer.
A film brings together very different resources: funding, spaces, transport, products, services and communication. Our thanks to the organisations that joinedComoara lui Harap-Alb.
Filming took place in the summer of 2026, in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The project is in post-production, and the cinema premiere is planned for 23 April 2027. Until then, the story continues through behind-the-scenes material and news from the team.
