From the Danube Delta to TIFF and Back Again: My Journey Through Film Festivals
The first time...
I heard about a film festival was about 20 years ago. I was visiting the Danube Delta for the first time with my parents. We were staying at a guesthouse in Sfântu Gheorghe, and, well… I wasn’t exactly appreciative of the stillness of that place (like I would be now!).
However, the quiet, relatively uneventful seaside village life was suddenly disrupted by something that sparked my curiosity. I later learned it was the preparation for ANONIMUL – an international independent film festival that takes place right there, on the beach. It was 2007, and I was staring wide-eyed at the unexpected bustle unfolding in front of me. Out of nothing, a magical world was coming to life.
I didn’t fully understand
…what a festival was—let alone one with such a specific artistic theme! But that moment stayed with me. A couple of years later, I went to a special screening of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days by Cristian Mungiu at Casa de Cultură a Studenților in my hometown, Galați. That movie left me speechless. It wholly shaped my taste in cinema. I remember the wide-awake feeling I had afterward—the loud silence in the room during the screening. That moment took me right back to Sfântu Gheorghe.
Fast forward a few years
I’m now living in Berlin. I have (at least in theory!) the chance to attend Berlinale, although getting tickets can feel like winning the lottery.
This year, I’m doing something new—more intentional and aligned with my values. I’m traveling to Cluj-Napoca for the first time to attend TIFF – Transilvania International Film Festival! I’m beyond excited—not only because I’ve never been to Cluj before, but also because I get to immerse myself in powerful, thought-provoking films. I’m looking forward to experiencing the solitude of solo travel and the joy of sharing a space with a bunch of strangers who are just as passionate about cinema as I am. And I’m keeping my plans open—other than my movie pass, I don’t have many expectations. I’m simply letting life surprise me.
But wait, that’s not all!
When I return to Berlin, I’ll be arriving right in the middle of a Romanian film festival taking place at Babylon cinema. It’s called Ro-Mania, and the opening night features the incredible Fanfara Ciocârlia. I’ve already grabbed tickets to one of my all-time favorite Romanian films. I’m curious to see how I’ll experience it now, after so many years.
I originally saw it at the Elvire Popesco Cinema in Bucharest when it premiered. It was the first time I ever witnessed a standing ovation after a film. Minutes of applause, tears in my eyes. Can you guess the movie from this short description?
wonder
Here’s to staying curious, letting art move us, and allowing wonder to guide our journeys, on screen and in life.
Who else will be at TIFF or at Babylon? I’d love to connect. I’m beyond excited for everything this film-filled summer has to offer!
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