Be My Cat: For Anne (Adrian Tofei, 2015, Romania)

With a recorded introduction by director Adrian Țofei

A hidden gem of found-footage horror, Adrian Țofei’s directorial debut centres on an aspiring Romanian filmmaker (Țofei) whose obsession with Anne Hathaway manifests itself as a twisted desire to convince her to move to Romania and star in his projects. As he documents his endeavour, his obsession escalates, leading to terrifying and violent consequences for those caught in his orbit.

The film’s darkly comic tone and Țofei’s committed performance as a director-turned-serial-killer provides a sense of thematic depth, allowing the film to explore metatextual notions around filmmaking and our obsession with fame. Be My Cat’s daring conceit is further heightened by its stripped-back verité style, using the found-footage format to blur the lines between the real director and his fictitious counterpart.

The 2024 edition of Samizdat is supported by Screen Scotland’s National Lottery Film Festival and Screening Fund and Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funds from Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible, English subtitles, SDH subtitles (Closed Captions), Pay-what-you-can tickets (£2-£8)

If you want to attend this screening but find it unaffordable, you may be able to have the cost of your ticket, commute, and/or childcare covered by the Audience Access Fund — see here for further details.

Content notes: Murder/femicide; extended sequences of severe emotional distress