32 documentaries linked to Romania by their subject or author will be screened between 5 and 11 October 2015 at Astra Film Festival, number that matches the collected perspectives on day to day life that have been produced over the past two years. As it happens every year at AFF, the films will be evaluated by experts and viewers from all over the world.
”Since Astra Film has become the main stage, or even the launching pad, for Romanian documentaries over the past 22 years, the authors, as well as the organizers of global cinematographic events – mainly film festivals, are carefully monitoring this selection. The heightened interest in this event is also reflected in the ever increasing number of submitted films: this year, we have 98 Romanian submissions.”
The Romanian state of affairs!
The AFF programme includes documentaries that point the video camera towards current social phenomena and realities. How does Romania look like and what is left behind after deforestation? The Schweighofer Effect (directed by: Alexandru Iacob, Răzvan Leucea) follows the case of an Austrian company that is exploiting the forests in Covasna county. The Network (directed by: Cladiu Mitcu) reveals the secrets of the network of cytostatic drugs created by Vlad to help sick people face the anti-survival politics of the Romanian health system. Youtube Bazaar (directed by: Dan Chișu) focuses on the way in which the democratisation of communication brings new characters into the spotlight, people who broadcast from the fringes of traditional journalism: Bahoi gathers millions of views on his own youtube channel. The relationships between Hungarian and Romanian ethnics in Targu Mures are presented from the perspective of inter-ethnic marriages in the documentary Transylvanian (Love)Stories (directed by: Anna Kos).
Among the films selected this year, there are also some which have an impressive festival portfolio: Toto and his sisters (directed by: Alexander Nanău), Chuck Norris vs. Communism (directed by: Ilinca Călugăreanu), Outside (directed by: Andrei Schwartz), productions targeted as feature films, author documentaries for artistic platforms to be screened in cinemas and festivals that were produced over several years revealing a mature artistic perspective, well-rounded characters and a sharp cinematographic narrative.
Stories from the past...
Another face of Romania is highlighted in the reflections and creations of literary authors Herta Muller – The Alphabet of Fear (directed by: Albert Jansen), Lucian Blaga – My father, Lucian Blaga (directed by: Iulian Ghervaș and Adina Popescu), Mircea Cărtărescu, Norman Manea, Gabriela Adameșteanu, Florin Lăzărescu (in a documentary by Alexandru Solomon) as they involuntarily evoke different aspects of the Romanian communist regime, subject also tackled by Freedom in Childshoes (directed by: Joachim Stall) and The Szekler Highwaymen (directed by: Attila Zsigmond).
... and overseas!
Documentary filmmakers also focus on the situation of Roma people who have left Romania. Spartacus & Cassandra (directed by: Ioanis Nuguet) is a foray in the outskirts of Paris where two Roma children from Romania have to make a crucial decision: either live on the streets with their family, or get an education and live with foster parents. Cici (directed by: Yann Betant) portrays the absurdities of the Swiss administrative system that Petru faces while trying to get a licence to perform on the streets of Lausanne.
Other authors focus on uncovering the success stories of Romanians living in China - Stories of Romanians in China (directed by: Zhi Wang) but also the hardships of Romanians living on the streets of Paris and their attempts to lead a better life - Storm is Coming (directed by: Daniel Nicolae Djamo).
The ever increasing number of Romanian films submitted each year is remarkable as more and more young authors are experimenting with documentary genres: Bondoc (directed by: Mihai Mincan, Mihai Voinea, Cristian Delcea), Dabija Brothers (directed by: Cătălin Drăghici).
The unknown Romanian countryside!
Beyond the brutal, TV-material reality, the films selected at Astra Film Sibiu show rural Romania as it is: the day to day life of fishermen in Delta Dunarii – Swamp Dialogues (directed by: Ildiko Zonga Plajas), the force and the magic role of the calusari dance beyond the staged performance - Călușarii from Bârla (directed: Adrian Oprea), ancient winter dances adapted by the Brasov juni - Borica (directed by: Lorand Lorincz), the mythical story of an old man living in a Transylvanian village who made a deal with the devil for gold and money – Transylvanian Tale (directed by: Ioana Joca), a winter ritual gathering all the inhabitants of a village in Maramures - Viflaim (directed by: Bjorn Reinhardt) or the impassioned heritage of pottery - Clay Watching (directed by: Hadrian Gavriluțiu).
Play, No Matter What! (directed by: Kim van Haaster) takes us on a journey to a Moldavian village where a British charity organisation initiates 1-year projects dedicated to underprivileged children. In another part of Romania, in Bistrita, several teenagers spend their last days of holiday reflecting on the present and the future – The end of summer (directed by: Alina Manolache).
Astra Film Festival 2015, the International Film Festival of Sibiu is organised by Astra Film – CNM Astra and Astra Film Foundation.
With the support of Sibiu County Council, The Ministry of Culture, The National Centre for Cinematography, The European Union – through the Creative Europe – Media programme.
Co-financed by Sibiu Local Council of Sibiu City Hall
Partners: Romanian Cultural Institute, The Consulate of Germany, The Embassy of Spain, Lucian Blaga University
Sponsors: Takata, Marquardt, HBO
Media partners: HBO, HotNews, Revista 22, Decât O Revistă, Dilema Veche, Cațavencii, Cotidianul, Zile și Nopți, Radio România Cultural, Radio România Actualități, Radio Cluj, Radio Antena Sibiului, Radio Târgu Mureș, RFI România, LiterNet, CinemaRX, Port.ro, CineFan, Sub25, All About Romanian Cinema, Think Outside the Box, Cooperativa Urbană, ÎnFestival, Tribuna, Turnul Sfatului, Sibiu 100%, Ora de Sibiu
