
Matei Rugină
Directing
Biography
Matei Rugină (born May 3, 2005) studies directing at the National University of Theatre and Film "I.L. Caragiale" Bucharest. He is an actor and amateur director and is best known for directing and starring as Menti in the comedy series Soneriada (2025) along Petru Buzea.
Known For

A mysterious call from his estranged father leads the prodigal son on a quest which is best described as absurd.
Soneriada

Told in three parts, the film serves as a metaphor for the stages of life and presents itself as a determinist statement piece from a philosophical point of view.
Inherent Circumstances

M is writing a story about himself being cursed by his friend during a game of checkers. Soon he becomes confused with what is real and what is fiction.
Poetica Mortis

A washed up dream artist is invited to a podcast to talk about the last dream he published, almost 3 years ago.
To Dream

Short abstract film revolving around a swing.
Chains

Menti is miraculously revived after his suicide attempt and tries to make sense of the events following Charlie Charlison's murder. However things aren't like he originally thought as a new player reveals himself in the plot.
Soneriada 3: The Prodigal Son Returns

Chronicles the events that lead to Charlie Charlison's untimely death employing a cinéma vérité approach.
Soneriada 5: Crime and Punishment

A man struggles with the fragments of his own identity, trying to piece together a broken part of himself. Through quiet, minimal scenes, the film explores themes of inner conflict, isolation, and the painful journey toward self-understanding.
A Fractured Soul

Menti, a tough, gritty detective comes home from the bar only to discover Petrulive, his old partner, in his apartment. Together they must solve a mystery revolving around the assassination of a mysterious character, Charlie Charlison.
Soneriada 2: Revenge of the Flomberts

A young man who just got hired at a mysterious bank is disillusioned after his boss asks him to track down someone who supposedly stole a large sum from the corporation.
BRCI *A Broke Romanian Considered Individuality

A young man waits for his ex girlfriend to show up whilst the ticking sound of his footsteps follows him around.
Poppies in Wind

Petrulive, left mute and paralyzed, tries to conceive a plan to stop The Prodigal Son for good.
Soneriada 4: It Ends Now

A person tries to escape the hallway of an apartment building.
Stairway

Lucas, a boy suffering from anxiety, tries to find a place of comfort while discovering things about himself.
The Garden at the Back of the Mind

Mihai goes out to run and has several encounters that trigger out his social anxiety.
Mihai Is Robbed

A young man attempts to find out the origin of the mysterious message written on his chest after a drunken night out.