Dumitru Budrala: “Astra Film Festival lives up to its reputation by offering the audience films that any festival in the world would desire”

Dumitru Budrala: “Astra Film Festival lives up to its reputation by offering the audience films that any festival in the world would desire”

“Astra Film Festival lives up to its reputation by offering the audience films that any festival in the world would desire. This includes the film about the Ukrainian president, as well as dozens of Romanian premieres and films from all over the world. We also maintain a tradition that has been going strong for 30 years: most films are screened in the presence of their creators, leading to high-level dialogues with the audience,” said Dumitru Budrala, the founder and director of Astra Film Festival.

Astra Film Festival kicks off in Sibiu, Romania. It is the most important documentary film event in Romania, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The organizers set a high bar right from the start of this special edition by scheduling an exceptional film, “Meeting Zelensky” (work-in-progress). Co-directed by Emmy Award winner André Singer and director-actor Liev Schreiber, the film follows the story of Volodymyr Zelensky, from his childhood in the USSR to his days of fame and success in the show business industry and eventually his role as the President of Ukraine. Those lucky enough to secure a seat in the Thalia Hall will be among the first to see this highly anticipated film. The opening gala, hosted by journalist Amalia Enache, will also feature a panel discussion moderated by writer, journalist, and diplomat Emil Hurezeanu, with André Singer and surprise guests.

“Astra Film Festival lives up to its reputation by offering the audience films that any festival in the world would desire. This includes the film about the Ukrainian president, as well as dozens of Romanian premieres and films from all over the world. We also maintain a tradition that has been going strong for 30 years: most films are screened in the presence of their creators, leading to high-level dialogues with the audience,” said Dumitru Budrala, the founder and director of Astra Film Festival.

Each day of the festival is packed with unmissable events, leaving the audience with difficult choices to make. However, there is a second chance for them, as many films will be available for online viewing after their cinema screenings. The juries, on the other hand, face the tough task of selecting the winners from the closely contested competitions in four categories: Central and Eastern European, Emerging Voices of Documentary Film, Romanian, and Student Competitions. You can find details, schedules, and tickets here: https://www.astrafilm.ro/ro/2023/program-orar.

In addition to the films competing for prestigious AFF awards, the organizers are presenting numerous non-competition films, including the highly anticipated work-in-progress “Calea laptelui” by Dumitru Budrala, “Werner Herzog: A Radical Dreamer” by Thomas von Steinaecker, Germany’s submission for the Oscars “In the Chancellor’s Office” by Ilker Çatak, “Change for Bogotá” by Andreas Mol Dalsgaard, and films produced by journalists from Pro TV (Romania, I Love You!) and Recorder.

AFF 2023 also offers several special programs, such as “Think Freedom: The Catalyst,” about “Vă vedem,” the longest-running citizen protest in Romania, and the program “Our Lives Online,” exploring original approaches to overwhelming themes, including children’s TikTok videos, identity theft, deepfakes, and the blurring of lines between the real and virtual worlds in online games.

There will be several masterclasses where world-renowned professionals in the documentary film industry will share their experiences with participants who have the chance to attend. One of these is the “Masters: A Life in Documentary” masterclass, in which André Singer will discuss anthropology, working with globally renowned directors, and approaches to sensitive and symbolically important subjects with BAFTA-nominated director Liviu Tipuriță.

Astra Film Festival also features exhibitions by Dan Perjovschi, Iulian Ignat, and Dumitru Budrala, book launches, and concerts by Adrian Naidin & Jazz Band, Cimpoierii din Transilvania, Kana Jambe, Nightloosers, DJ Jarl Flamar, and a retro party with DJ Sorin Lupașcu, Gabriela Atanasov, and Horia Stan.

About 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 strategic support from the Ministry of Culture, and with the assistance of the Sibiu County Council, the National Center for Cinematography, the Romanian Cultural Institute, the Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Sibiu, and the Filmmakers’ Union. The event is co-financed by the Sibiu Local Council through the Sibiu Municipality.

Strategic Partner: Ministry of Culture

Sponsors: HBO Go, Cinelab, Materom Autohaus, Luthelo, CineGOLD, Promenada Mall, DPD Romania, Kulinarium, Sonne, Order of Architects of Romania – Sibiu-Valcea Branch

Monitoring Partner: MediaTrust

Media Partners: Nine O`Clock, PRO TV, Europa FM, TV5 Monde, RRC, News.ro, G4media, Hotnews, Spotmedia, PressHub, Turnul Sfatului, Sibiu 100%, Tribuna, Mesagerul de Sibiu, Ora de Sibiu, Sibiu independent, Sibiul azi, Știri de Sibiu, 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

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