Spy/Master – the first Romanian series nominated at the Berlin Film Festival

For the first time, a series with Romanian spies from the Cold War period, produced by HBO Max, is selected at the Berlin film festival. A unique Romanian story, from the world of the 78s, will be seen from May on HBO Max.

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The original production Max Original Spy/Master is the first Romanian series nominated at the Berlin International Film Festival. Filmed in Bucharest and Budapest and co-produced with Warner TV Series (Germany), the series will have its world premiere at the Berlinale Series, announced an HBO press release.

Starting with the 2023 edition, the Berlin International Film Festival inaugurates a new award in the Berlinale Series category, which presents outstanding series from around the world.

Set at the height of the Cold War, the action in Spy/Master shows a week in the life of Victor Godeanu (Alec Secăreanu, God’s Own Country), Nicolae Ceaușescu’s right-hand man and his most important security adviser. However, Godeanu has a secret. He is a double agent and must flee Romania and escape Ceausescu before his cover is compromised.

The action in Spy/Master is set at the height of the Cold War and presents a week in the life of Victor Godeanu (Alec Secăreanu, God’s Own Country), Nicolae Ceaușescu’s right-hand man and his most important adviser. However, Godeanu has a secret. He is a double agent and must flee Romania and get rid of Ceaușescu before his cover is compromised, the statement said. Photo Ștefan Popescu, HBO

With only one chance to stay alive, he uses a diplomatic trip to Germany to flee to the United States of America. Aided by an undercover Stasi agent and ex-girlfriend (Svenja Jung, Deutschland ’89), but also by a CIA agent (“Parker Sawyers”, “Southside with You”), Godeanu must avoid KGB agents and spies of his own country (Ana Ularu, Siberia, and Laurentiu Bănescu, Umbre), fully aware that desertion puts his wife (Andreea Vasile, Umbre) and daughter (Alexandra Bob, The Gymnasts) in mortal danger.

Spy/Master is written by Adina Sădeanu and Kirsten Peters, directed by Christopher Smith (“Temple”), and the picture belongs to Ben Wheeler BSC (“The Tourist”, “The Baby”) and Ádám Fillenz HCA (“Vienna Blood’, ‘Battle: Freestyle’). Antony Root, Johnathan Young and Anke Greifeneder are executive producers. Ioanina Pavel is a creative producer. Viktória Petrányi and Judit Sós are the producers of Proton Cinema, and Tudor Reu is the producer from Mobra Films. The series is produced by Proton Cinema and Mobra Films.

Johnathan Young, Executive Producer says that “Spy/Master is a unique Romanian story placed, organically, in an international context”, for the realization of which he worked with extraordinary professionals from Romania, but also from Hungary, Germany, Great Britain and Poland. “We hope that we have created a series that will speak directly to the Romanian audience, but will also attract the international audience. The selection at the Berlinale is an honor for the team and an incredible chance to premiere the series to an international audience, alongside the best series from other countries”.

Ioanina Pavel, Creative Producer says that “we are very honored to have been selected at the Berlinale and to be able to bring Spy/Master to the festival audience, showing that we can create successful TV productions in Romania, just as they did the authors of cinema. “The series is a combination of artistic elements and pure entertainment, configured from the script and executed with flair in front of and behind the camera by an international team. I hope that everyone who will see the series at the Berlinale will feel the dedication in every scene and will want to see what comes next”, Ioanina Pavel added.