The award-winning Romanian documentary Tata (Father), directed by Lina Vdovîi and Radu Ciorniciuc, will premiere globally on the HBO Max on October 3.

The film, which had its world premiere in 2024 at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival where it was the only Romanian documentary selected, follows the journey of Lina, a journalist from the Republic of Moldova. Her investigation begins after she receives a video message from her father, a migrant worker in Italy, in which he shows her the bruises inflicted by his employer.

This personal message sparks an emotional and deeply personal investigation that uncovers not only workplace abuses but also the cycle of domestic violence passed down through generations. The documentary was filmed across Italy, Moldova, and Romania.

Since its debut in Toronto, Tata has been screened at over 25 international film festivals, from which it has collected seven awards. These accolades include honors from the Krakow Film Festival (Poland, 2025), FIPADOC – International Documentary Film Festival (France, 2025), and the Trieste Film Festival (Italy, 2025).

Hanka Kastelicova, Vice President of Documentaries for HBO Max at Warner Bros. Discovery, commented on the acquisition: "We are incredibly proud to bring Tata to HBO Max. This powerful and deeply personal story tackles crucial issues – violence within families and abuse in the workplace."

Director Lina Vdovîi expressed her enthusiasm for the platform premiere, stating: "From the earliest stages, HBO has been one of our strongest supporters. The premiere on HBO Max is the beginning of a new stage for Tata, one where it will reach a new audience."

The documentary is produced by Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan through Manifest Film, in co-production with Corso Film (Germany), HBO Max, and 100% (The Netherlands). The film received support from the Romanian National Film Centre (CNC), Eurimages, MDR/ARTE, the Netherlands Film Fund, Al Jazeera Documentary, and Creative Europe MEDIA. International distribution is handled by Autlook Filmsales.