Horatiu Malaele is one of Romania’s most accomplished creative minds.
An actor, director, writer, and cartoonist, Malaele has shown a wide range of talents over a long career, both on screen and on stage.
Last month, Malaele was in town for the third annual Romanian Film Festival in Seattle, held at SIFF Cinema Uptown, where two of his films were screening: the 2008 comedy Silent Wedding, and the 2013 comedy Happy Funerals. He also performed a post-festival one-man show at the Kirkland Performance Center.
With the help of a translator, we spoke briefly with Malaele about his career, and visit to Seattle.
You’ve done a bit of everything: Acting, directing, cartooning. How do those bounce off of each other? How does acting make you a better director, and so forth?
Malaele: I’m working in theatre. In my opinion, theatre is the place toward which all arts converge. The fact that I’m working in all these arts make my work actually, easier. And I’m not an exception. There are many more artists like me. I’m like Proteus, in mythology, the guy who changes face and appearances. I’m that kind of guy. And, after a little while, I change gears. I feel like I need to change gears. This would be a short explanation at the beginning of a movie.
What are the differences between acting in a one-man show or on stage, versus being in a film?
Malaele: They are two completely different things. To be in a theatre play, it’s a syncretic effort, and you have to handle many other things, while to be part of a one-man show, it’s more pressure on the artist because the artist has to handle several aspects of his own performance, and again, there are only a few people who can handle this situation
How important is it to you to come out to festivals like this and show your work?
Malaele: It’s extremely important for me to participate in such festivals, because to be part of a festival means that you stepped onto a different stage, the recognition level, and you become part of your own contemporary society and become part of it with the public. All of the people coming, and participating in such events prove that they are necessary. That they are wanted, they are needed. And this is enough justification for me to be here.
To learn more about the Romanian Film Festival in Seattle, visit www.romanianfilmfestseattle.com.