The Ride-in @AFF initiative was launched in the context of the central theme of AFF2021 – The Climate Collapse Alert
For the first time at a film festival: 492 people came to the Astra Film Festival to participate in film screenings and cultural events within the festival by bicycle, the most sustainable way to travel in the urban space. The @AFF Ride-in action was launched in the context in which the central theme of the 28th edition of the Astra Film Sibiu festival was the Climate Collapse Alert. Thus, the people who biked to the film were rewarded for the entire duration of the festival with discounts on tickets and season passes. The action was carried out in partnership with the Urban Bike Revolution NGO.
„"We were glad to see that hundreds of people of all ages responded to our invitation and came to the film by bikes. It is a strong message that we send from Sibiu: we must take care of our planet and any gesture that each of us makes matters. The bicycle is a sustainable means of travel in the urban space, and Sibiu and its surroundings are inviting you to cycle. We continue to encourage our audience to travel by bike, wherever they are and regardless of the activities they take part in" said Dumitru Budrala, founding director of the Astra Film Festival
About a hundred cyclists from Sibiu came to the Astra Film Festival since the opening event, which took place on Scena Lac within the Astra Museum. They watched a shocking documentary about climate change, "Once You Know" directed by Emmanuel Cappelin (France, 2021), screened in national premiere.
In large or small groups, with friends or family, sometimes in teams of children-parents-grandparents, the audience accepted the invitation of the organizers and came to the film by bicycle, for a week, joining both the screenings in the centre of Sibiu, as well as those organized at the Astra Museum.
On Saturday, September 11th, almost 70 cinema lovers set off by bike from the Small Square, in a tour that crossed neighbourhoods and streets, and arrived at the Astra Museum where, at 7pm, they watched an emotional film: “Hymn from the hive” (world premiere), by Jacopo Marzi, about the Saxons from Transylvania and their longing for their native places.
The tour organized in partnership with Urban Bike Revolution was joined by representatives of the "Romanians are cycling" (Românii Pedalează) initiative, within the "Climate Heores: Youth voices for sustainable living" project organized by WWF Romania. This initiative supports the development of an appropriate infrastructure for cycling and promotes its use among pupils and students, thus helping to slow down and prevent climate change. Also, the Ride-in action @AFF took place on the same day that thousands of cyclists from Romania and nine other European countries participated in the Pedaliada, an international event that encourages outdoor sports.
The Astra Film Festival presented for the second consecutive year, for three days, a special programme of ecological cinema, with float-in film screening. The organizers also launched during #AFF2021 the "People and Bears" campaign, which advocates for the individual and community responsibility to protect the planet Earth, the place where we all live.
The award gala of the Astra Film Sibiu festival will take place on Sunday, starting 6pm, at the Astra Museum, event during which the winners of the four competition Sections will be announced: Emerging voices of the documentary, Central and Eastern Europe, Romania and DocSchool.
But the Astra Film Festival does not end here. Until September 19th, at 11:59 pm, AFF Online presents 43 titles from the official selection. Programme and tickets, here: /ro/despre-aff-online
Organized by: Astra Film, CNM Astra and the Astra Film Foundation.
With the support of: The Sibiu County Council, The Ministry of Culture, The National Center of Cinematography, The Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Sibiu, The Austrian Cultural Forum, The Filmmakers Union.
Co-financed by the Sibiu Local Council through the City Hall of Sibiu and by the European Union through the Creative Europe Program.
The Astra Film Festival takes place under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.
Sponsors: HBO, DPD România, Materom Autohaus, Cinelab, Ursus, Nod Pub, The Refresh, Kulinarium, Sonne Restaurant Cafe Media partners: TV5 Monde, Rock FM, Radio România Cultural, RFI România, Hotnews, News.ro, Newsweek, Spotmedia, Scena9, Avantaje, Liternet, Cineuropa, Film New Europe, Movienews, All About Romanian Cinema, Films in frame, Urban,ro, Turnul sfatului, Sibiu 100%, Tribuna, Ora de Sibiu, Știri de Sibiu, Capital cultural, Zile și nopți, Revista Transilvania, Hermanstaedter
Communication partner: PiArt Vision
