The documentary film „Milk Way" (work-in-progress), directed by Dumitru Budrala, which portrays the fascinating world of transhumance, will be presented to the Astra Film Festival audience in the presence of the main characters on Friday evening at 6:00 PM at Thalia Hall in Sibiu. Following the screening, the traditional dialogue between the audience and Dumitru Budrala will take place, with the participation of Pătru, Petrică, and Maria, the main characters of the film. The discussion will be moderated by Mihaela Miroiu. Details and tickets: https://www.astrafilm.ro/en/2023/film/milky-way The documentary film „Milky Way" reveals the secrets and challenges of the fabulous world of transhumant shepherding as it unfolds in the 21st century, the age of speed and technology. Moving herds of hundreds of sheep from the lowlands to the mountains in spring, and from the mountains to the lowlands in the approach of winter may seem anachronistic today, but for a few, this is the most natural way of life.
"Think that the shepherds from Transylvania used to take their flocks as far as the Bărăgan, Dobrogea, even Crimea, or Moravia. Transhumance was one of the most fascinating, spectacular, and philosophical things, and Pătru, Petrică, and Maria are extraordinary characters that I'm delighted to introduce to you," said director Dumitru Budrala.
The film follows a family of shepherds where each member, from the youngest to the oldest, participates as much as they can: from gathering hay, milking and shearing sheep, making cheese, cleaning, guarding, everyone has their role. The head of the family is a lifelong baci (shepherd), a tough and resilient man who has faced bears and wolves but knows how to speak gently and tenderly to the youngest lambs in the fold. He's fortunate that one of his sons has inherited the passion for herding and will continue this tradition. However, for how many generations, we cannot say for sure. Times and circumstances change, and it seems that transhumance is becoming less attractive to the younger generation, who are more tempted by modern life and customs.
The theme of transhumance is well-represented at the 30th-anniversary edition of the Astra Film Festival, with the multimedia exhibition "Transhumance" in Piața Mare already being one of the festival's highlights.
About the Astra Film Festival
Astra Film Festival Sibiu, launched in 1993 as an innovative project, is one of the most important non-fiction film festivals in Europe. Under the High Patronage of the President of Romania, the festival is organized by Astra Film, CNM Astra and the Astra Film Foundation, with the Ministry of Culture as a strategic partner, with the support of the Sibiu County Council, the National Center of Cinematography, the Romanian Cultural Institute, the Consulate of the Federal Republic Germany in Sibiu and the Union of Cinematographers. The event is co-financed by the Sibiu City Council through the Sibiu City Hall.
Strategic partner: Ministry of Culture
Sponsors: HBO Go, Martini, Cinelab, Materom Autohaus, Luthelo, CineGOLD, Promenada Mall, DPD Romania, Kulinarium, Sonne
Monitoring partner: MediaTrust
Media partners: Europa FM, TV5 Monde, Radio Romania Cultural, News.ro, G4media, Hotnews, Spotmedia, PressHub, Turnul Sfatului, Sibiu 100%, Tribuna, Messagerul de Sibiu, Ora de Sibiu, independent Sibiu, Sibiul azi, Hermannstädter Zeitung , Nine O'Clock, Scena9, Cinemagia, Cineuropa, Film New Europe, Observator cultural, Timpul, AaRC, MovieNews, Cinefan, Cinefilia, Liternet, Capital Cultural, Revista Transilvania, Filmtett, Modern Times Review
Communication partner: PiArt Vision
