LIPA students and graduates collaborate on new short film in Romania

A short film developed by students and graduates from across LIPA is in production following support from the LIPA Enterprise Grant scheme, with filming taking place on location in Romania.

Murmur, a folkloric horror film inspired by Romanian mythology, recently received support through the LIPA Enterprise Grant scheme. The project brought together students and graduates from Acting, Filmmaking, Creative Technologies and Music courses, with filming taking place on location in Romania.

Created by Sanziana Popescu-Necsesti and Horia Bazavan, Murmur expands the supernatural world first introduced in the pair’s previous project Rusalia, which has received 40 award nominations, won seven awards and amassed over 500k views on YouTube.

Describing the new project, Horia says audiences can expect “ritualistic traditions, clashes between religion and paganism, euphoric dances, and historically grounded storytelling rooted in early 1900s Romania.”

The film builds directly on the mythology established in the preceding Rusalia film. “Rusalia is one of the six ‘nymphs’ within the Murmur universe,” Horia explains. “She is the leader who guides her sisters into chaos, seduction, and destruction. Murmur expands that universe further by introducing new characters and exploring the village life and traditions of early 1900s Romania in greater depth.”

“Since its release, the journey of Rusalia has felt like a fever dream,” says Horia. “It has taken the team to places they never imagined - from Romania to Belgium, Italy and twice to Cannes. The film is only just beginning to spark curiosity and attract wider attention internationally.”

Filming Murmur in Romania became a major part of the experience for the cast and crew, many of whom travelled internationally together to bring the project to life on location. “Flying a team of 10 people to Romania with the support of sponsors and audiences was an unforgettable experience,” Horia says. “It was incredibly meaningful to immerse the cast and crew in the culture and beauty of Romania while bringing the story to life on location.”

Third-year Acting (Screen & Digital) student Noor Liu de Biolley described the shoot as “a unique and unforgettable adventure.”

“Ten days ago, I was filming at 3am around a gigantic bonfire in the middle of the Carpathian Mountains with my friends, and it felt like the highlight of the last three years,” she says. “It made everything feel real, like our dreams are finally coming true.”

Fellow student Bethany Thomas, performing the role of Dragaica, reflected on the personal impact of the experience. “It was wonderful experiencing such a mix of languages and cultures while filming with such an eclectic group of people,” she says. “Working alongside so many LIPA students and graduates also showed me how important strong creative and industry connections really are. It was an unforgettable experience and one I learned so much from.”

The production was supported through the LIPA Enterprise Grant scheme, alongside crowdfunding and sponsorship support that helped fund travel, accommodation, costumes, equipment and post-production. “The support from the LIPA Enterprise Grant scheme has been crucial in bringing Murmur to life,” says Horia. “Independent filmmaking is never easy, so this kind of support has been both deeply appreciated and absolutely necessary.”

The team successfully raised £4,000 towards the project’s £5,000 budget, helping complete production on the short film as development continues on a feature-length version of Murmur. Looking ahead, the team plans to continue building the project internationally through festival screenings and future collaborations.

“As development on the Murmur feature film continues, the short film will begin its own festival run this fall, with ambitions to reach major international festivals before production begins on the feature-length version,” Horia says. “Those wishing to support the project can donate directly or purchase custom-made jewellery pieces featured in the film, created by a boutique jeweller. Every contribution helps support the future of our story.”

You can keep up to date with Murmur via their Instagram page, and donate to support its production via their crowdfunder.

You can watch their previous project Rusalia below: