My Muslim Husband — Official Film Poster

Max Original · Documentary · Romania · 2023

A couple needs to triumph over everyone's limiting beliefs, including their own

My Muslim
Husband

An intimate, observational documentary filmed over seven years — a marriage, a faith, and a love tested by prejudice.

▶ Watch on Max Watch Trailer

World PremiereTIFF 2023

CompetitionSarajevo Film Festival

Runtime71 minutes

LanguagesRomanian · Arabic · English

DirectorsDaniel & Alexandra Bărnuți

ProductionTwo Doc & HBO Max

Year2023

Runtime71 minutes

LocationsRomania · Saudi Arabia · Jordan · Qatar

My Muslim Husband — Official Poster with festival laurels, Max Original 2023

Max Original · 2023

A Deeply Personal
Observational Documentary

Shot over seven years across Romania, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar. With over 700 hours of footage, Daniel and Alexandra Bărnuți turned their own marriage into a Max Original — selected at TIFF, Sarajevo, Astra, Sofia DocuMental, Istanbul, Amman and more.

▶ Watch on Max Watch Trailer

Supported & recognized by

Official Trailer

Trailer

The Story

About the Film

Alexandra marries Daniel, a young Romanian convert to Islam. She believes that being open to learning about a different culture will enable her new family to find happiness and harmony.

But soon, the young couple must face not only the religious discrimination of society but also other prejudices. Alexandra and Daniel must fight for each other and their relationship, even though it means leaving behind their old selves or cutting off some people from their lives.

Shot over seven years across Romania, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar — with over 700 hours of footage — this is an intimate, observational portrait of love under pressure. The camera becomes a therapist, a mirror, and a witness.

"In the first six years of our relationship, everything was like a process of continuous learning. We were getting to know each other — learning how to relate to families, to religion, to passions, to prejudices. We hit many obstacles, but most importantly, we always found our way back to each other." — Daniel Bărnuți, Director

"When I met Daniel, this film came with the relationship. I didn't realize that his original idea would change and that we'd become the main subject." — Alexandra Bărnuți, Co-Director

Behind the Camera

The Directors

Daniel Ioan Bărnuți — Documentary Filmmaker and Director

Daniel Ioan Bărnuți

Director & Producer · Two Doc

Born in 1981 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. A Law School graduate turned filmmaker and cinematographer, he holds a Master's in Documentary Filmmaking from Babeș-Bolyai University. Since 2010 he has directed short films, commercials and documentaries. Selected at Documentary Campus Masterschool (2018), Doha Film Institute Series Lab, Dock Tank at Astra Film Festival, and Docu Rough Cut Boutique. My Muslim Husband is his debut feature, co-produced with HBO Europe.

Alexandra Lizeta Bărnuți — Co-Director and Creative Producer

Alexandra Lizeta Bărnuți

Co-Director & Creative Producer · Two Doc

Born in 1988 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. A graduate of Communication and Public Relations with a Master's in International Business Administration. After years as an entrepreneur and in creative industries, she co-directed and produced this debut feature. Selected at Documentary Campus Masterschool (2018), Doha Film Institute Series Lab, and Take Film on Impact — Movies That Matter (2023). Currently developing a new project in Balkan Documentary Discovery.

Director's Note

"If I was to find one word which could describe the aesthetic and approach of this documentary, that word would be 'transparent'. The camera functions more like a therapist than a device used for recording moments. It's intimate, intense — it doesn't try to cover up for anything, just shows everything as it really is, without judging."

— Daniel Bărnuți

Behind the Scenes

Gallery

Daniel Bărnuți and Alexandra at a cinema screening with full audience — TIFF 2023

TIFF 2023 — Cinema screening with the audience

Daniel and Alexandra Bărnuți smiling in front of a full cinema hall

At a festival screening — My Muslim Husband

Q&A session after the screening of My Muslim Husband

Q&A session after the screening

Daniel Bărnuți presenting My Muslim Husband at TIFF 22

TIFF 22 — Introducing the film to the audience

Beyond the Film

Authority Through Authentic Video

My Muslim Husband began as a personal story — and became living proof that authentic, long-form video storytelling builds irreplaceable authority and audience trust.

After seven years of filming their own lives, Daniel and Alexandra Bărnuți understand better than anyone what it takes to show up on camera with vulnerability, consistency and purpose — and how that transforms both creator and audience.

Today, through Two Doc, Daniel and Liz help experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders grow their personal brand through the same principles that took this documentary to international festivals and HBO Max: raw authenticity, a clear personal narrative, and the courage to be truly seen.

If you want to grow your authority, build deep trust with your audience, and create lasting impact through video — connect with Daniel and Liz.

Work with Daniel & Liz

Personal Documentary

Turn your story into a cinematic narrative that positions you as an authority — filmed with the same intimate, observational approach as My Muslim Husband.

Video Brand Strategy

7 years, 700 hours of footage, one powerful film. We help you define what to film, how to tell it, and how to distribute it for maximum credibility and reach.

Impact Storytelling

Documentaries built to change minds and open conversations — designed not just to entertain, but to spark real dialogue and create lasting impact.

Festival & Platform Strategy

From international festival circuits to HBO Max — we understand the full path from personal story to global audience and guide you through every step.

Industry Presence

Workshops & International Selections

Documentary Campus Masterschool

International selection. Won Best Pitch Award at DOK Leipzig.

2020

Doha Film Institute — Series Lab

Selected for development at the prestigious Qatar-based film institute.

2020

Dock Tank — Astra Film Festival

Won Best Pitch. Attracted the attention of HBO Max VP of Documentaries.

2022

Docu Rough Cut Boutique

Intensive editorial development for documentary features in post-production.

Movies That Matter

Won Movies That Matter Prize at CineLink, Sarajevo 2022. Selected in Take Film on Impact 2025.

Balkan Documentary Discovery

Currently developing new project Broken Roots in BDC program.

International Recognition

Awards & Festivals

◆

TIFF — Transilvania International Film Festival 2023

World Premiere · Romanian Days Competition

◆

Sarajevo Film Festival 2023

International Premiere · Documentary Competition

◆

Astra Film Festival 2023 — Sibiu, Romania

Competition Documentary

◆

Sofia DocuMental 2023

Competition Documentary

◆

Falcon International Film Festival 2023

Quarter-Finalist

◆

Amman International Film Festival — AWAL 2024

Official Selection

◆

Golden Bridge — Istanbul Film Festival 2023

Official Selection

◆

Muslim Film Festival 2023 — Australia

Official Selection

★

Movies That Matter Prize

Won at CineLink Industry Days, Sarajevo 2022

★

Best Pitch — DOK Leipzig

Won via Documentary Campus Masterschool 2018

★

Best Pitch — Astra Film Festival

Won 2020 — led to HBO Max partnership

◆

Anatolia International Film Festival 2023

Official Selection

Media Coverage

Press & Reviews

Review — "Intimate, carefully curated. A smooth, engaging documentary self-portrait."

Why Liz and Daniel Bărnuți Charted Their Own Marriage for the Transilvania Premiere

Modern Times Review

"It is brave to share a relationship on camera. Love seems to be the answer."

Un cuplu de români s-a filmat timp de șapte ani pentru documentarul My Muslim Husband

Citește articolul

Pagina de Media

Documentarul „Soțul Meu Musulman", premieră la TIFF 2023

Citește articolul

Alexandra & Daniel Bărnuți: "Pentru noi camera a fost ca o unealtă de dialog"

Citește articolul

Agenda / Liternet

Auto-radiografia unei căsnicii: Soțul Meu Musulman la Astra Film Festival 2023

Citește articolul

Soțul Meu Musulman: documentarul românesc Max Original, premieră la TIFF

Citește articolul

Regizorii: „Soțul meu musulman nu este un film despre politică sau despre religie"

Citește articolul

Romania Insider

Romanian documentary 'My Muslim Husband' now available on HBO Max

Soțul Meu Musulman, documentarul românesc Max Original, premieră la TIFF

Citește articolul

أفلام المسلمين الجدد في السينما — My Muslim Husband featured in international press

Full Credits

The Team

DirectorDaniel Ioan Bărnuți

Co-DirectorAlexandra Lizeta Bărnuți

ProducerDaniel Ioan Bărnuți

Creative ProducerAlexandra Lizeta Bărnuți

Production CompanyTwo Doc

Co-productionHBO Max · Avanpost

HBO Co-producersHanka Kastelicová · Tereza Keilová · Alina David

Creative ConsultantMonica Lăzurean-Gorgan

CinematographyDaniel Ioan Bărnuți · Alexandra Lizeta Bărnuți

EditorAlexandru Popescu

Additional EditorsDragoș Apetri · Andrei Gorgan

Sound DesignSebastian Zsemlye

Story ConsultantMihai Mincan

Co-producerCarmen Rizac

Grading & PostAvanpost · Bucharest

DistributionTwo Doc · HBO Max

Co-produced with

HBO Max

Avanpost

Resources

Download Press Kit

All media materials, high-resolution images, director bios and full production information — for press and industry professionals.

↓ Download Press Kit (PDF)

Get in Touch

Contact

Two Doc — Production

Daniel Bărnuți, Director & Producer
danielbarnuti@gmail.com
www.danielbarnuti.com

Warner Bros. Discovery

Ioana Plopeanu, Senior PR Manager
Romania · Hungary · Czech Republic · Slovakia
ioana.plopeanu@wbd.com

About Two Doc

Two Doc is a Romanian documentary production company creating untold visual stories — opening spaces for dialogue where it is most needed. We believe vulnerability is power, and documentaries are the most powerful tool for understanding the world we inhabit.

"We like to make it personal. Authenticity is the only currency that matters."

Co-produced with

HBO Max

Avanpost