Romanian film review: Astra, One World Brașov, Moldox, Mia Misses Her Revenge

Not long ago, I was lamenting that not much was happening in Brașov movie-wise (I am from there, so whining about it is perfectly healthy) and now I stand even more corrected, because not only has this summer been an improvement over past ones, but the autumn starts with an absolute unmissable event. One World Romania, the most important national documentary event, will bring a part of its selection to Brașov between 16 and 19 September. My absolute recommendation is Petit Samedi/ Little Samedi, a wonderful tale on addiction and familial love, but They Call Me Babuand None of Them Says a Word are just as topical and moving, while My Mexican Bretzel is an absolute delight, a nostalgic praline.There will also be discussions ranging from artistic work in times of Covid to the plight of refugees (accompanied by a photo exhibition), so if you are there, do save these dates, this is great and rare stuff.

One World follows THE traditional documentary event of autumn, namely mighty Astra. Taking place in Sibiu until 12 September, the international documentary festival has a strong focus on anthropology and ethnographic studies, and is a treasure chest of films that you might be otherwise very hard pressed to find, on the most particular subjects. There is so much to recommend and discover, but if I were to pick the unmissable, it would be Salomé Jashi‘s Taming the Garden, the unbelievable story of a Georgian billionaire collecting ancient trees from all over the country, literally uprooting and shipping them to his personal garden. Any fictional movie with a plot like this would be considered completely bonkers, but life writes the most absurd stories, and Jashi’s film is spellbinding and infuriating. Some of the films are also available online (from Romania); you can check the list and conditions