Kîzîm: between tradition and freedom

KÎZÎM, the latest film directed by Radu Potcoavă, for the first time brings to the screen a story inspired by the Tatar community in Romania.

Corina Sabău, 11.04.2026, 14:00

Based on a screenplay by Elias Ferchin, a well-known actor, director, and screenwriter of Tatar descent, the film marks the film debut of young actress Yeliz Meryem Mustafa. Yeliz plays the role of Selda, a teenager from a traditional Tatar family in Constanța who longs to enjoy her best high school years with her boyfriend and friends, but finds herself clashing with the prejudices of her conservative, tradition-bound parents. The script written by Elias Ferchin was inspired by his own childhood experiences in Poarta 6, a multicultural neighborhood in Constanța. The idea developed gradually as the actor started writing for the big screen, exploring the realities of his own community.

“The film is inspired by personal feelings and experiences, by stories I heard within my family and the community I come from. I took bits and pieces from everywhere and tried to build a script that included elements of our traditions, which I felt was essential to showcase, especially since this is, after all, the first film about Tatars. This community is less known in Romania. I know many people who know next to nothing about it. That was, let’s say, the first layer of the story. Then I focused on a love story, a forbidden romance between a Tatar girl and a Christian Romanian boy, and it was around this relationship that the entire screenplay revolves”.

Kîzîm is simultaneously a story about teens, young love and the conflicts that arise when young people try to find their own path, as well as a journey into a lesser-known world. The film blends a universal coming-of-age story with a specific cultural context, and the balance between the two is vital to the narrative’s delivery.

“I started with these two ideas from the beginning, and they intertwined quite naturally during the writing process. Coming of age is a fascinating subject when it comes to teenagers. The issues we presented in the film aren’t necessarily exclusive to this particular community or this age group: they happen everywhere, they are universally valid. I integrated them organically into the script. Then, with Radu Potcoavă’s contribution, we managed to focus more on the group of teens, to really highlight them. After all, their generation is important, with all the mistakes, misunderstandings, problems, and awkwardness typical of their age. We tried to depict them as they really are, so that we, as parents, can understand them and have some food for thought at the end of the film”.

For the director Radu Potcoavă, an important challenge in Kızîm was the way in which the coming-of-age story takes shape within the cultural context in which it is born. Because the film is not just about a community or just about puppy love, but about how these two planes converge into a universal story:

“I think that was actually the main point of negotiation between myself and Elias, because I felt that this balance was very important. The film was not supposed to be just about the Tatar community, but neither was it intended to focus exclusively on this coming-of-age story. We had to find that very fine balance between the two. Obviously, the first love is a universal story and things could have turned out the same no matter where in the world it took place. I’ve heard many parents scorn their child’s partner. I think that’s actually the main point of the film. It’s about trust and communication between parents and teenagers, but also between teenagers and parents. I think things go both ways and I think that’s healthy. Because, look, Selda comes from a traditional Tatar family, where things are very clear, although there is still a small loophole. Her boyfriend, Tudor, on the other hand, comes from an open-minded, very relaxed Romanian family. And yet, at some point Tudor suffers much more during the story. Basically, something even harder happens to him than to Selda. This shows that even the very relaxed or too open-minded parental model does not always work.”

The film’s carefully chosen cast brings together both young and established actors. Apart from Yeliz Meryem Mustafa, the cast includes Judith State, Matei Saizescu, Tudor Chirilă, Amuly, Anastasia Udrea, Luca Adrian Fieraru, Tudor Milan Palade and Bogdan Farcaș. (VP & AMP)