Tragedies of recent history are reflected in individual and family tragedies and transmitted to the viewer by means of variated and deep approaches of documentary cinema. The openin film – Dear Pyongyang, screened on Monday, the 6th of October, from 19:00, at the Thalia Hall, in the presence of the director Yang Yonghi – transposes on the big screen a Japanese and Koreean experience. The film presents the effects of a dramatic experience of the communist dictatorship which, although happened in The Far East, is so familiar to those living in this area of Europe.
An elite jury
The films entered for the four sections of the competition are to be evaluated by a top jury, which gathers nationally and internationally acknowledged names of the genre: Cristi Puiu, Cannes awarded Romanian director; Michael Stewart, director of Open City Doc Fest in London; Darya Bassel, director of programmes at the Kiev Documentary Film Festival for Human Rights; Sorin Botoșeneanu, dean of the Film Faculty at UNATC (National University of Theater Arts and Cinematography in Bucharest); Cynthia Close, film critic at Documentary Magazine in USA; Nicolas Feodoroff, film selectioner for FID Marseille; Mona Nicoară, director, producer and writer; Diana Tabakov, curator of DAFilms platform’s programmes; Eugenia Vodă, film critic and producer of ’Profesioniștii’ (’The Professionals’) TV programme, the cultural talk-show with the largest audience in Romania and, last but not least, Yang Yonghi, Japanese director of Koreean origin.
Focus Sergei Loznitsa
The programme Focus Loznitsa suggests the screening of its last documentary, Maidan, in addition to other three of his previous films, Trainstop, Landscape and Blocada, as well as a panel debate on what is to be a cinema author, a dialogue between Sergei Loznitsa and Cristi Puiu, moderated by Neil Young, film critic from UK. In 2010, 2012 and 2014, Loznitsa’s latest films were presented as exclusive first releases at the Cannes Film Festival.
Special programmes, panels and masterclasses
Past and present societies in the search of the perfect system; the feeble limit between necessity and excess when it comes to the daily internet dose; transformations of present cities, societies and cultures; all of them linked by red wire of live history and transposed on the big screen in brand films, in special programmes of Astra Film Festival.
The programme also includes panel debates with historian Adrian Cioroianu – How did Romania enter and get out of the First World War?; anthropologist Vintilă Mihăilescu – Communes, communities, utopias and practices; architect Michael Engel – Contemporary urbanism in Romania, China and Venezuela.
Liviu Tipuriță, film director having cooperated with BBC and CNN and David MacDougall, professional of worldwide visual anthropology, are holding masterclasses at AFF. The sessions are open to professionals as well as to students or any other interested public.
The historical center of Sibiu breathes film!
Due to the 5 locations which host the 2014 edition, Astra Film Festival spreads a documentary net throughout the whole historical area of Sibiu. Hundreds of filmmakers and professionals of the genre, journalists from the whole country and documentary fans are all coming to Sibiu from the 6th to the 12th of October, to watch films and to rejoice direct dialogue with filmmakers and protagonists. Smells like an intensive cinema week in Sibiu!
The official programme of Astra Film Festival 2014: www.astrafilm.ro/program.aspx?day=1
Details concerning special programmes and masterclasses: www.astrafilm.ro/programe-speciale.aspx
Informations on tickets and screening halls: www.astrafilm.ro/bilete-si-sali.aspx
Astra Film Festival 2014, The International Cinema Festival in Sibiu is organised by Astra Film – CNM Astra and Astra Film Foundation.
With support from the County Council of Sibiu, the National Centre of Cinematography, the Ministry of Culture, the European Union through the programme Creative Europe – Media.
Partners: : Institutul Cultural Român, Institutul Francez, Centrul Ceh, Fundația pentru Parteneriat, Consulatul Republicii Federale Germania
Action co-financed by Local Council of Sibiu through the Mairy of Sibiu.
Media partners: HBO, TV5 Monde, Digi24, HotNews, Revista 22, Dilema Veche, Cinemagia, Decât O Revistă, Cațavencii, CinEuropa, Film New Europe, LiterNet, CinemaRX, Radio România Cultural, Radio România Actualități, Radio Cluj, Radio Antena Sibiului, Radio Târgu Mureș, RFI România, Art Act Magazine, Port.ro, The ONE, CineFan, TOTB.ro, Sub 25, Vice, Filmtett, Ginger Group, Film Reporter, AaRC.ro, Magic FM, Zile și Nopți, Tribuna, Turnul Sfatului, Sibiu 100%, Eveniment TV
Sponsors: Romgaz, Sinecon, Takata, HBO, Transgaz, Banca Comercială Carpatica, Marquardt, Empire, CineLab, Stage Expert, Ibis
