Ana Vasilachi, the first female deputy defense minister of Moldova (2013-2015), plays the role of our country’s foreign minister in “Leon 2”, a Romanian-Italian sequel directed by Virgil Asoltanei.
“I am a woman, a mother, I am the world’s happiest grandmother, an example of a woman who can succeed everywhere (...) We the women of Moldova, the women from the diaspora, can combine the role of politician, grandmother, and why not, of an actress too”, Ana Vasilachi, who held a number of public positions in the past, including Chisinau city councilor and Member of Moldova’s Parliament, declared during a press conference on Friday.
“Our involvement, as women, is important both in the family and in public life. Dear ladies, let’s have more confidence, let’s be more vocal, braver and more involved in social and political life, despite all the challenges”, urged Ana Vasilachi.
In the first part of the franchise, the title character, played by the director-producer himself, goes all Commando to rescue his daughter from the clutches of the Italian mafia. The sequel is still in production, and the content of the script remains a secret for now. In addition to talents from the Romanian and Moldovan diaspora in Italy, the film also features Italian actor Giuseppe Cascella.
Ana Vasilachi says that the film meant for her the union of Bessarabia with Romania. Virgil Asoltanei took over, saying he was proud of his Moldovan roots from both sides of the Prut River. The producer says that for the second movie, he would also like to do a casting in Chisinau, adding Moldova to the film’s geography, which includes locations in Italy, Romania, France and Monaco.
According to Virgil Asoltanei, “Leon” ran in theaters in Romania and was broadcast by several TV channels, including Sky, Digital, and Digitale Terrestre Italia. The director-producer says that he is also waiting for collaboration proposals from Moldova.
