A coming-of-age story about the only son of a tight-knit Romanian-Canadian family struggling with his mental health and the expectations of his authoritarian father in his final year of University.
Mike Doagă wrote, directed and edited the film, and also plays the central character, Mike (or Mihnea, as he was christened). Mike is studying neuroscience while driving a party bus for his overbearing dad’s business. Not ideal. He gets sympathy from his mom (Sabina Doaga-Diaconescu) but even so his panic attacks get worse as he struggles to balance expectations from all sides.
All screenings in the Romanian Film Festival are Free. Reservations are recommended to confirm your seat.
Mihnea leaves a lasting impression. Doaga’s script nails the rhythms of real conversation: people cutting each other off, trailing into half-thoughts, never presenting themselves in the polished sentences most films rely on. Combined with the documentary-style camerawork and a score that knows when to pull back and when to press in, the result is a film that feels startlingly real. As a triple-threat debut, it is a remarkably assured piece of work; a thoughtful, textured portrait of immigrant family dynamics and the quiet crisis of early adulthood that gets under the skin and stays there.
Lyle Kruger, That Shelf
Mike Doagă
Mike Doaga, Sabina Doaga-Diaconescu, Raresh DiMofte, Sean Depner, Anna Toth, June Laporte, Harnoor Gill
Canada
2026
In English and Romanian with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Wednesday December 02
Executive Producer
Daniel & Sabina Doaga-Diaconescu, David Aboussafy, Joel McCarthy
Producer
Jordan Vazquez, Kenneth Seto Tynan, Diego Tovar, James Brooks
Screenwriter
Mike Doaga
Cinematography
Larius Kieninger
Editor
Mike Doaga, Tristan C. Pina, Bryce Iwaschuk
Original Music
Ethan Lawrence
Also in This Series
Free screenings showcasing six of the best Romanian films from the last couple of years.
The Yellow Tie
Kicking off a mini-festival of Romanian (and Romanian-Canadian) films, all screening for free, this impressive biopic of the renowned (but never recorded — at his insistence) Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache was directed by his son.
The Law School Gang
Seven law students, bound by a strong friendship, face life-changing challenges as they unite to help a colleague's sick daughter, discovering sacrifice, loyalty, and the true meaning of solidarity.
The World is My Arena
This is the true story of George Balta, a rugby player paralyzed in an accident, who reinvents himself as a wheelchair marathoner and motivational speaker, and who plays himself in the film.
Mihnea
Mike Doaga wrote, directed and edited this independent Canadian film, and also plays the central character, Mike (or Mihnea, as he was christened). Mike is studying neuroscience while driving a party bus for his overbearing Romanian-born dad's business.
Horia
Restless teenager Horia takes off on his father's old motorbike in a cross-country journey to reunite with his love. On the road, he is joined by Stela, a sassy 13-year-old, and an unlikely friendship blooms.
