Astra Film Chișinău starts today

Astra Film Chisinau starts today with an event screening: the documentary film "Transalpina - The Road of Kings" by Dumitru Budrala, which will take place from 18:00 at the Great Hall of the Art Museum of the Republic of Moldova. Screenings of films brought to Chisinau directly from the Astra Film Festival selection will continue on Saturday and Sunday. Details and programme here: https://www.astrafilm.ro/program-orar. Astra Film Chisinau is an event organised by Astra Film and financed by the Romanian Government's Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian Cultural Institute, through its representation in Chisinau.

"I am very happy that we managed to come to Chisinau with the best documentary films from the Romanian section of the Astra Film festival and to show the audience here something of what has made the Sibiu documentary film festival such an important cultural event over the years. I am also very happy that we can offer films dedicated to young people, directly from the Astra Film Junior selection, the most popular and complete documentary film education programme in Romania", said Dumitru Budrala, Founding Director of Astra Film Festival.

"I am particularly delighted that Astra Film Festival is coming to Chisinau, after 29 years, and that Mr. Dumitru Budrala has enthusiastically accepted our proposal. We are pleased to be able to offer the Moldovan public free access to valuable films on highly topical themes such as "The Roads that bring us closer" and "Destinies & Communities" and I hope that today we will be able to start a beautiful tradition of the Astra Film Festival in Chisinau", said Adrian Dupu, Secretary of State, Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova, Government of Romania.

"I am pleased to note that Mr Dumitru Budrala's team has brought to Chisinau, in addition to the much-needed professional background, the calm and picturesque characteristic of Sibiu. The Astra Film Junior programme overlaps exactly with the objectives of the ICR Chisinau and we consider it very important to interact with tomorrow's generation and to respond to their challenges through any form of cultural manifestation. The Republic of Moldova is a space that generates Romanian culture, and our objective is to bring cultural projects from Romania to this space, such as Astra Film Chisinau, in order to create a link with similar local institutions, organizations and projects, such as the Documentary Film Festival - Cronograf", said Narcis-Ionut Afrăsinei, Deputy Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute "Mihai Eminescu" in Chisinau.

"I welcome this initiative both in terms of content and support and I would like to see us more often. Film brings us closer and helps us to get to know each other better", said Valentina Iusuphodjaev, Director of the National Film Centre of Moldova.

"Documentary film lets us think, discuss, analyse. I want to tell you that Astra Film Junior is really something special. After watching the screenings, the children go to class and discuss, do homework exercises on the topics covered in the films and learn", said Virgiliu Mărgineanu, President of the Union of Filmmakers of the Republic of Moldova.

Most of the screenings at Astra Film Chisinau are award-winning films from this year's Astra Film Festival. The special Astra Film Chisinau programme also includes the screening of the event film "Transalpina - The Road of Kings" by Dumitru Budrala, the concert "Floare de Maidan" by the Youth Division of the Subcarpathian Cultural Centre, documentaries, documentary films dedicated to teenagers, followed by film literacy workshops held by director Laura Ilie, and the concert "Floare de Maidan", The event will take place at the National Art Museum of the Republic of Moldova (Great Hall) and at the B. P. Hasdeu.