Matei Dima (Romania) talks in an interview with HotNews.ro about what, in his opinion, it means to be successful with the Romanian public. As for those who criticized the film Miami Bikes 2, the actor and producer says that no one will ever be able to make “a movie that everyone likes.”

“Miami Beach 2” appeared in theaters on November 24, and two weeks after its release, it became the best-selling Romanian film of the year: it was seen by more than 372,646 viewers.

Produced by Matei Dima (Romania) and directed by Jesús del Cerro, the film, based on a script signed by Alex Kotetz, has attracted the attention of the public and follows the successful recipe already established in “Miami Beach” and “Teambuilding”.

The famous actor Danny Trejo joined the cast of the series “Miami Beach 2”.

When Miami Bikes hit theaters on February 21, 2020, before COVID, no one expected it to have such a big impact on audiences. It was in cinemas for three weeks (the last one was due to quarantine) and during this time it gathered a record 552 thousand viewers.

Practically, it was the most successful Romanian film in the last 25 years; later, due to the pandemic, the production was available on Netflix and grossed millions of euros in total.

Miami Beach was produced by Matei Dima and directed by Jesús del Cerro from a script by Alex Kotec (whom we know from another successful Romanian film, Team Building).

Filmed in Miami, Florida and Bucharest, the story follows two young men, Ion Bile (Matej Dima) and Ilie Piciu (Codin Maticuk), who come from a small, obscure town in Romania, who go to the States. living the “American dream” and making quick money.

The production involved Romanian stereotypes, transposed in a comical, commercial way, without great pretensions. In essence, he used a recipe for success that many have found, even if the success he achieved caused controversy among the most elitist people who classified him as “bad taste”.

Now, on November 24th, Miami Bikes 2 hits theaters, and the team from the first film is back in force, with lessons learned from the past, but also with unexpected cast members. The highlight is Danny Trejo, who plays the villain in the story.

Bila and Piciu return to their roles as Romanians who want to succeed without too much work, this time in an adventure full of chaos, fun and unexpected situations, from Miami to Los Angeles.

Just two weeks after its release, Miami Beach 2 became the best-selling Romanian film of the year, as well as the most expensive Romanian independent film shot in Miami, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

In addition to the cast (Charlotte McKinney, George Pistereanu, Nadia Comaneci, as well as Cristi Borcha), the production also has an interesting soundtrack, where several popular Romanian artists have created songs together, from Delia with Johnny Romano to Irina Rimes and Theo Rose. .

I spoke with Matei Dima about how important it is for people to laugh at times when it seems everyone needs it, and the idea of ​​success in the film industry, and the fact that Romanians have a weakness for satire. Here’s what happened.

A creative producer must find solutions and be adaptable

You once said that you made Miami Bikes 2 for yourself. What exactly does this mean?

Matei Dima: I managed to shoot in the iconic places of my childhood. From the dry river that appears in “Terminator 2” and “In Time” to the Hollywood sign and the fountain in Beverly Hills, places that we have always only seen in movies or TV shows.

But the most important thing is that we filmed with “Nentu” Danny Trejo, who, in turn, worked with the biggest actors in Hollywood, so we practically shook their hands.

That’s why I said I made Miami Bikes 2 for myself, because I experienced something I wanted to experience a long time ago.

What are some things you learned from the first film that you’ve applied to the production now?

I’ve learned that the greatest quality as a creative producer is finding solutions and being adaptable. That’s why you have to know very well the script, the command, and any other variable that can interrupt your process, so that you can then come up with a solution, whether it’s a signal change or a location change.

How long did the filming last and where did it take place?

I shot for a month and a half in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and then two or three days in Romania.

“Romanians laugh a lot at satire”

What was the greatest pleasure on the set? But the biggest challenge?

I felt the greatest joy in Las Vegas. We had a sequence that didn’t need an audio jack, so we just had to look at the fountains at the Bellagio, which had a show with music, lights and of course water. “Ocean’s Eleven” was filmed there, returning to the first question.

In all the chaos of the shoot and all the pressure we were under, there was a moment of silence where Codeine and I shed a happy tear for being there and doing it.

On the other hand, the biggest challenge was not to miss the budget, but unfortunately we did not succeed. Los Angeles is an expensive city.

“Miami Beach 2” was declared “the best-selling Romanian film of the year” – what do you think are the reasons for its popularity among the public?

It’s easy to watch a movie when I think I ALSO need to, and that helps. We try very hard to make it as beautiful and funny as possible.

Do you think this kind of humor says something about us as Romanians?

Romanians laugh a lot at satire. Unfortunately, I think this is the best explanation. It really helps us to take ourselves less seriously, we live longer.

“This success is enough for everyone”

Speaking of which, do you think the commercial recipe is also a recipe for success in our country? How do you see things?

Success is subjective. If you want to make a film just for yourself and 100 people who understand it and move something in them, do it and it will be successful.

If you want to do something commercial and reach more people and it happens, then you will also succeed. It’s pretty successful for everyone.

How do you deal with negative comments and those who categorize the film as “dumb”?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but mostly it depends on how you express it. You will never create a product that will appeal to everyone.

“Teambuilding” has caused a lot of controversy and opinion on the Internet, “Miami Bikes” (1 and 2) too – in fact, why do you think we like to criticize such productions, at least on the bubble level? Again, it depends, if you say it’s your opinion, that’s fine, very fine, everyone laughs at something different.

Of course, in many cases it is also the frustration that people express to us. As long as it’s a person who does and tries to do, you don’t have to worry about someone who just sits and makes bad judgments.

What would you like people to understand about this film?

This is not a movie where you need to understand something, it is an opportunity to get away from everyday life, watching the adventures of two fools in a foreign country, laugh at them and, together with them, temporarily forget about domestic problems. for an hour and a half.

Usually, in terms of drama, our heroes are put in situations where they have to learn something from, and they do succeed, more or less. But the point is not to teach people that it is not good to engage in card forgery, because it is obvious.

“The reality is you’re not going to please everyone”

The roles you choose and the films you act in are generally comedic, which makes me think that you also find it easy to play them, they are in your comfort zone. What would it mean to leave this zone, would you like to?

I always strive to grow and develop, but in small and safe steps. In the next film, also a comedy, this time about the election campaign, I will play, for example, a negative character. I also envision doing other genres of films, but right now I’m just trying to hone what I can do.

Is it important to you how the world perceives you as an actor?

Yes of course. I was always looking for recognition and validation from others, but the harsh reality hit me in some projects. The reality is that you’re not going to please everyone, and that’s a subjective thing. I honestly think Miami Bici 2 was my best game to date, you see the improvement and that’s all I want; to always be a little better.

What would be your ideal for the Romanian film industry? Where would you like to go?

There is a lot to say here, but I hope to bring the industry to a level where Romania is a strong player in the European market with quality advertising, art and simple films for everyone, and Americans are investing in it, shooting international stars, with awards, with everything .

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