ARCS Project

Romanian Film Festival Seattle, 9th Edition
2022-11-11 - 2022-11-27 | Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122
THE ROMANIAN FILM FESTIVAL, 9TH EDITION: "HomeLands"
WHEN: NOVEMBER 11-27, 2022WHERE: Online, Nov. 11-27Northwest Film Forum, Nov. 11-13 and Nov. 18-20
Nov. 11, 7:30pm - MetronomNov. 12, 6pm - Things Worth Weeping ForNov. 13, 5pm - The IslandNov. 18, 7:30pm - Blue MoonNov. 19, 6pm - Metronom
The 9th edition of the RFF titled Homelands reflects on this year’s current events, while celebrating the power of film to map out new meanings into a world where people have been displaced by wars, economic crises, political instability, and natural disasters. The internationally acclaimed movies featured in our carefully curated selection, covering all forms and genres, as well as our film related events with special guests, will redefine our sense of homelands and belonging, in relation to our families, neighbors, countries of origin, and, by extension, to our planet itself. As Daniel Ursache’s poster illustrates, movies remain, year after year, our main path and answer, when everything else seems out of place.
After two successful virtual editions in 2020 and 2021, the festival will continue to showcase the best of the newest film productions from Romania and Europe, promoting outstanding directors, both established and up-and-coming. It will also keep its partnership with Northwest Film Forum, Romanian Film Fest Arizona and its sister-organizations ARCS Arizona and ARCS Detroit. The Romanian Film Festival Arizona, will have its in person screenings November 19-20 at Majestic Tempe 7 in Tempe, AZ.
We will offer you virtual opportunities to interact with local, national and international special guests.In the meantime, please support our fundraising efforts. So far we raised over $16,000 from 60+ donors through Facebook and the ARCS website and we could not be more grateful to you! Will you help us reach our next target of $17,000? No amount is too small! Our goal is to raise $20,000 in two months. Let’s keep the story going for the 9th time!If you have a business or reprezent an organization, please check out our sponsorship package and let us know if you would like to benefit from our advertising opportunities.
Festival Official Partners and Co-organizers: Festival Institutional Partners:
Supporting Sponsors:
Festival Ambassadors: This project is carried out with the support of the Department for the Romanians Abroad. (Acest proiect este realizat cu sprijinul Departamentului pentru Românii de Pretutindeni.)
Community Partners - Thank you for helping us spread the word about the film festival:
Please follow the Festival on social media!
FILM FORMATS:
All virtual film programs in the 2022 festival are available to view ONLY in the U.S. You can purchase our films and watch them when it is most convenient for you, during the period of the festival. You have 48 hours to finish watching a film after you start playing it.
**Many online screenings in Romanian Film Festival in Seattle 2022 include a live discussion or filmmaker Q&A, available on zoom. All panels and talks take place over Zoom, and will be automatically recorded and added to the end of the film playlist on Northwest Film Forum's Eventive virtual cinema for viewing throughout the fest.
Note to in-person attendees: NWFF patrons will be required to wear masks that cover both nose and mouth while in the building. Disposable masks are available at the door for those who need them. We are not currently checking vaccination cards. Read full Covid policies here.
Fundraising CampaignThank you for your generosity! Our goal is to raise $20,000 to cover costs associated with programming, publicity, technical support and film distribution rights. We will keep the fundraising campaign open on our website and Facebook. Raised$22,178Goal$20,000

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$25 Many ThanksWe will integrate a special thank you credit on our website.

$50 Festival FriendSpecial thank you credit on our website!

$100 Festival SupporterSpecial thank you credit on our website and free access to two films showing at the festival.

$250 Festival BenefactorSpecial thank you credit on our website and free access to four films showing at the festival.

$500 Festival AmbassadorSpecial thank you credit on our website and free access to eight films showing at the festival, thank you credit after the each film screening and special thank you credit on our website (with your company logo, if applicable).

$1,000 Supporting SponsorWe are offering up to three full festival passes, credit before the screenings, special thank you credit on our website with your logo and link to your website.

$5,000 Festival Official Partner and Co-OrganizerWe are offering up to five full festival passes, credit before the screenings, special thank you credit as a festival official partner and co-organizer on our website with your logo and link to your website.
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American Romanian Cultural Society1931 E Lynn StSeattle, WA 98112 FilmsTrailerImmaculateby Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark2021, Drama, 114 min(Romania)
When her junkie boyfriend ends up in prison, Daria is taken by her parents to rehab to quit heroin and become a good daughter again. Inside the clinic, Daria’s unwavering...
When her junkie boyfriend ends up in prison, Daria is taken by her parents to rehab to quit heroin and become a good daughter again. Inside the clinic, Daria’s unwavering loyalty to her boyfriend makes her exceptional in the eyes of the male junkies and saves her from their sexual pressures. Being desired yet protected by everyone makes Daria feel special for the first time in her teenage life. She relishes her position until a new mysterious patient is committed. His arrival confronts Daria with her own desires, triggering wild competition among the men. Suddenly trapped between everyone’s clashing expectations, Daria must find her own path.
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TrailerMetronomby Alexandru Bell2022, Drama, 102 min (Romania, France)
Bucharest, 1972. Ana, 17, dreams of love and freedom. One night, while partying with her friends, they decide to send a letter to Metronom, the musical program which Radio Free Europe broadcasts...
Bucharest, 1972. Ana, 17, dreams of love and freedom. One night, while partying with her friends, they decide to send a letter to Metronom, the musical program which Radio Free Europe broadcasts clandestinely in Romania. It is then that the Securitate, Ceausescu’s secret police, arrives...
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TrailerMan and Dogby Ștefan Constantinescu2022, Drama, 107 min (Romania, Bulgaria, Sweden, Germany)
After having received a mysterious text message, Doru (42) returns home from Sweden in the midst of the Corona outbreak due to the suspicion that his wife is having an affair....
After having received a mysterious text message, Doru (42) returns home from Sweden in the midst of the Corona outbreak due to the suspicion that his wife is having an affair. His family is a bit concerned about his unexpected visit, suspecting that he might have been fired from the job that they all rely on; at the same time, they are delighted to see him. As the days pass by, it becomes clear that Doru is pursuing an investigation. Alongside his mother’s rowdy dog, Amza, he is shadowing his wife around town, trying to uncover the possibilities of her betrayal.
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TrailerWoodby Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, Michaela Kirst, Ebba Sinzinger2020, Documentary, 97 min (Austria, Germany, Romania)
Illegal logging is a global business worth billions. Alexander von Bismarck, descendant of the Iron Chancellor and head of the Environmental Investigation Agency in Washington D.C., successfully pursues the machinations of the...
Illegal logging is a global business worth billions. Alexander von Bismarck, descendant of the Iron Chancellor and head of the Environmental Investigation Agency in Washington D.C., successfully pursues the machinations of the timber mafia worldwide – with dyed hair, a concealed camera and sound recording equipment. His primary concern isn't to expose a scandalous situation, but rather to promote a change in the consciousness of politics and civil society and to bring about a new code of conduct for the global economy and consumers. WOOD is an environmental thriller that draws its tension from sad everyday reality.
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TrailerA Higher Lawby Octav Chelaru2021, Drama, 125 min(Romania)
Ecaterina, a high school Religion teacher and wife of the town priest, gets involved with Iuliu, a 16-year-old student with a troubled past. Ecaterina tries to keep him under control,...
Ecaterina, a high school Religion teacher and wife of the town priest, gets involved with Iuliu, a 16-year-old student with a troubled past. Ecaterina tries to keep him under control, but she loses her own control in the process. As Ecaterina faces a genuine crisis of faith, Iuliu’s infatuation turns increasingly dangerous when he takes his sins to the priest, her husband.
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TrailerThe Islandby Anca Damian2022, Animation, 84 min(Romania, France, Belgium)
Discover a musical fable on the Robinson Crusoe myth: The Little Prince meets Monty Python. Robinson is a doctor and his solitude is voluntary in an island invaded by migrants, NGOs...
Discover a musical fable on the Robinson Crusoe myth: The Little Prince meets Monty Python. Robinson is a doctor and his solitude is voluntary in an island invaded by migrants, NGOs and guards. He saves Friday, a castaway, the only survivor of his illegal refugee boat. During his journey on the island, Robinson encounters extraordinary beings and events. He will confront current affairs through visual poetry and symbolism in a world where everybody looks for its own paradise.
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TrailerThings Worth Weeping Forby Cristina Groșan2021, Comedy/Drama, 87 min (Hungary)
Maja’s life is finally coming together and her boyfriend couldn’t be more pleased. In the midst of moving out from their student flat, Maja’s evening takes a surprising turn when...
Maja’s life is finally coming together and her boyfriend couldn’t be more pleased. In the midst of moving out from their student flat, Maja’s evening takes a surprising turn when she stumbles upon an old relative who is without a doubt, dead. As she waits for the authorities, Sara, Maja’s childhood friend, joins. Hours pass and absurd situations arise. Are they allowed to eat next to a dead person? Did the woman just move her hand? And what is the proper way to say goodbye to someone you didn’t actually know?
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TrailerUs Against Usby Andra Tarara2020, Documentary, 74 min (Romania)
The director and her father take a camera in hand and film each other during interviews in which they discuss schizophrenia, their own pasts, and their personal conceptions of happiness. The film...
The director and her father take a camera in hand and film each other during interviews in which they discuss schizophrenia, their own pasts, and their personal conceptions of happiness. The film is a personal statement of two people affected by or marked by a mental disorder - a father forced to live with it and a daughter who had to grow up with a sick and often absent father. During filming, they try to find understanding for each other while revealing their inner traumas. One of the secondary topics is what it is like to undergo treatment for a mental disorder in Romania, as the father expresses frustration with the way he and his condition are viewed by the local healthcare system.
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TrailerThe Certainty of Probabilitiesby Raluca Durbacă2021, Documentary, 90 min(Romania)
As an instrument of ideological domination, language, both verbal and visual, defines, describes, delimits and dissimulates the manner in which the social, political and economic reality of a society is...
As an instrument of ideological domination, language, both verbal and visual, defines, describes, delimits and dissimulates the manner in which the social, political and economic reality of a society is perceived. In order to critique a dominant group's ideology, one must fragment and recontextualize its discourse. The Certainty of Probabilities seeks such a critique. Comprised entirely of archival footage produced during 1968, one of the most optimistic and prosperous years in the history of socialist Romania by the most important state-run documentary film studio, this essay film surveys the efforts undertaken by the state in order to ensure social stability in a society claiming to have quashed all exploitative and alienating labour relations.
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TrailerPlastic Semioticby Radu Jude2021, Stop motion short, 22 min(Romania, France, Belgium)
The life of human beings, seen from birth to old age. Only that this generic life is not represented with humans, but with the artifacts that we the humans have...
The life of human beings, seen from birth to old age. Only that this generic life is not represented with humans, but with the artifacts that we the humans have created for our children (or should we say “cubs”?), in order to prepare them for life: the toys. So, the film is a collage of scenes in which the toys help us understand better a possible essence of our life.
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TrailerThe Man Who Would Be Freeby Mihai Mincan and George Chiper-Lillemark2019, Documentary, 106 min (Romania)
July 1999, Bucharest. A dead man’s body is found in a small apartment. The case is quickly classified by the police as suicide. That man’s name was Cezar Mititelu and...
July 1999, Bucharest. A dead man’s body is found in a small apartment. The case is quickly classified by the police as suicide. That man’s name was Cezar Mititelu and he was 54 at the time of his death. Throughout his life, Cezar Mititelu never had any kind of property. He refused to be ever employed and referred to “paid work” as “corruption”, something that stood in the way of living as a truly free and responsible person. He fathered a son, but he had no true family, nor did he ever wish for one. In the eyes of the communist authorities, he was a “social parasite”, hunted all his life by the Secret Police and sent to prison twice. For some people, however, Cezar Mititelu was a teacher, a bearer of light in a world made of lies and ignorance. For his followers, this man was the proof that a life of complete freedom was really possible, with one condition: stepping outside of the lies and the hypocrisy created by “modern life” and starting the search for the true humanity that’s inside each of us. This is the story of Cezar Mititelu. The story of a man who embarked on a radical pursuit of finding true freedom and discovered, along the way, that he needs to change the entire world.
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TrailerUkrainian Sheriffsby Roman Bondarchuk2015, Documentary, 85 min (Ukraine, Latvia, Germany)
Like a bird, the Ukrainian flag flies along perched on the car of two affable "sheriffs" deputized by the mayor of a village in southern Ukraine. There's a sly bum...
Like a bird, the Ukrainian flag flies along perched on the car of two affable "sheriffs" deputized by the mayor of a village in southern Ukraine. There's a sly bum whose gift is not to work. There's a guy who puts an anaconda in his woman's shed. The advent of Euromaidan, and draft-dodgers abound. Town folks are dipping in icy water and laughing, but are they divided in their loyalty? These sheriffs are taking you along for the ride.
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TrailerSpiralby Cecília Felméri2020, Drama, 98 min(Hungary, Romania)
Spiral is about letting go. A strange triangle story by a mysterious lake, between one man and two women. Sometimes we can’t let go and this might result in consequences that...
Spiral is about letting go. A strange triangle story by a mysterious lake, between one man and two women. Sometimes we can’t let go and this might result in consequences that end in tragedy. There’s only one thing we can do: face ourselves.
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TrailerAmokby Balázs Turai2022, Animated short, 14 min(Hungary, Romania) After losing his fiancée and his good looks in a freak accident, Clyde must confront his inner demon.TrailerBlue Moonby Alina Grigore2021, Drama, 85 min (Romania)
The film follows a girl’s psychological journey to her dehumanizing process. While struggling to achieve higher education and escape the violence of her extended dysfunctional family, Irina metamorphoses from victim...
The film follows a girl’s psychological journey to her dehumanizing process. While struggling to achieve higher education and escape the violence of her extended dysfunctional family, Irina metamorphoses from victim into abuser as a result of subtle violent contexts. An ambiguous sexual experience with an artist gives her the strength to fight the violent approach of the males in her family.
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TrailerThe Deer Passed in front of Meby Vlad Petri
2020, Documentary short, 27 min (Romania)

During the Covid-19 lockdown the director's grandmother passed away. As he sifted through personal archives, he found an audio recording of her and some old photo albums. Composed entirely from photographs, this...
During the Covid-19 lockdown the director's grandmother passed away. As he sifted through personal archives, he found an audio recording of her and some old photo albums. Composed entirely from photographs, this is the story of her life against the backdrop of the historical changes Romania have been through in the 20th century.
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TrailerThe Marshal's Two Executionsby Radu Jude2018, Historical fiction short, 10 min (Romania)
The film confronts two different views of the execution of General Ion Antonescu, Romania’s leader during the Second World War. On one side is silent black-and-white footage of the execution as...
The film confronts two different views of the execution of General Ion Antonescu, Romania’s leader during the Second World War. On one side is silent black-and-white footage of the execution as recorded in 1946 by cameraman Ovidiu Gologanl; on the other are scenes from a biographical film shot in 1994 by director Sergiu Nicolaescu.
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Opening Night Reception
When: Nov. 11, 2022 at 6:00 PM PSTWhere: Northwest Film Forum.
After two years of clinking our glasses virtually, we are excited to celebrate the 9th edition of the festival in person! Please join us Nov. 11 at 6pm for the Opening Night Reception at Northwest Film Forum. We'll enjoy light refreshments and some catching up. After the reception, there will be a screening at 7:30pm for "Metronom" by Alexandru Belc.Q&A SessionsQ&A with director Cristina Groșan When: Nov. 13, 2022 at 10:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion. Q&A with director Anca DamianWhen: Nov. 14, 2022 at 10:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion. Moderated by Ileana Marin, Ph.D. Q&A with director Ștefan Constantinescu and actress Ofelia PopiiWhen: Nov. 15, 2022 at 10:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion. Q&A with director Andra TararaWhen: Nov. 17, 2022 at 12:00 PM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion.Q&A with director Raluca DurbacăWhen: Nov. 18, 2022 at 10:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion.Q&A with director Cecília FelmériWhen: Nov. 19, 2022 at 9:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion.Q&A with director Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan and Michaela KirstWhen: Nov. 19, 2022 at 11:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion.Q&A with directors Mihai Mincan and George Chiper-LillemarkWhen: Nov. 20, 2022 at 9:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion.Q&A with director George Chiper-Lillemark and actress Ana DumitrașcuWhen: Nov. 20, 2022 at 11:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion.Q&A with director Alina Grigore and actress Ioana ChițuWhen: Nov. 21, 2022 at 12:00 PM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion. Moderated by Luiza Pîrvu. Q&A with director Alexandru Belc and actress Mara BugarinWhen: Nov. 22, 2022 at 10:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion. Moderated by film critic Robert Horton. Q&A with director Roman Bondarchuk and Andrei DăscălescuWhen: Nov. 23, 2022 at 10:00 AM PSTWhere: OnlineRegister HERE for the live discussion. Moderated by Kateryna Ruban.Guests
Cristina GroșanCristina Grosan is a Hungarian-Romanian filmmaker and visual artist working on fiction films screened at festivals worldwide. Her award-winning short “Holiday at the Seaside” exploring a mother-daughter relationship screened at more than 40 festivals.

Cristina is keen on connecting to the places she’s lived in, working in both her homecountries, Hungary and Romania. Her debut feature “Things Worth Weeping For” premiered at the Sarajevo International Film Festival's main competition and received several nominations for Best Film at film festivals. The film’s lead actress, Nóra Rainer-Micsinyei was awarded Best Actress at the Bosphorus International Film Festival in 2021. Her second feature, “Ordinary Failures”, was developed with Czech writer Klára Vlasákova. The film premiered at the Giornate degli Autori competitive section in September 2022, as part of the Venice Biennale where Cristina was awarded the “Autrici under 40 - Valentina Pedicini award” for Best Director.

Anca DamianAnca Damian studied at the Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Bucharest where she majored in cinematography and later obtained a doctor’s degree in Arts, Cinema and Media. She worked as a director, screenwriter, and producer for several documentaries on art related topics. She was director of photography of two long feature films and several shorts. Her second feature the animated documentary, “Crulic: The Path to Beyond” (2011, Cristal Award in Annecy), has been selected in more than 150 international festivals like Locarno IFF, Telluride, New Director new films, and received more than 35 international prizes. Her extensive filmography includes Crossing Dates (2008), A Very Unsettled Summer (2013), The Magic Mountain (2015), Moon Hotel Kabul (2018), and Marona′s Fantastic Tale (2019). Her films were distributed worldwide and she has been awarded with numerous international prizes, including Cristal for Best Feature Film Award at Annecy, Best Director Award at Warsaw, Mirada International Award at Madrid, and Audentia Award by Eurimages. The Island is her seventh feature.
Ileana Marin, Ph.D.Ileana Marin teaches interdisciplinary courses at the University of Washington in Seattle and at the Center of Excellence in Image Studies at the University of Bucharest. Her long-standing academic career on both sides of the ocean has given her the opportunity to establish contacts between Romanian and American scholars, artists, and institutions. She, thus, initiated the first UW Exploration Seminar to Romania, and to Eastern Europe, and opened the fund for Romanian Studies, hoping that Romanian language will be taught regularly in Seattle. With a BA in Romanian and a PhD. in Comparative Literature from the University of Bucharest (2000), and one in Textual Studies from the UW (2011), Ileana is a strong believer in the power of education and bilingualism. In ARCS, she advocates the expansion of the Romanian language programs in the US and for disseminating the most recent Romanian cultural achievements. On her agenda as president, Ileana Marin has two major tasks: board development and recruitment to ensure the successful implementation of ARCS mission through meaningful programs.
Ştefan ConstantinescuŞtefan Constantinescu (1968, Bucharest) is a Romanian filmmaker and artist. He works in multiple mediums, including film, photography, artist books and painting. He has studied classical painting, film and video at the Bucharest Academy of Art and Film and at the Royal Art Academy in Stockholm. In 2009 he represented Romania at the Venice Biennale with the film Troleibuzul 92. In 2012 his short film Family Dinner screened in Semaine de la Critique in Cannes, and in 2013 his short film Six Big Fish premiered in the competition of the Locarno Film Festival. His feature length documentary My Beautiful Dacia (2009) went on to numerous international festivals (IDFA, Jihlava, Montreal, among others) and received the Jury Prize in Documenta Madrid. "Noah’s Ark – An Improbable Space Survival Kit" is a book he created alongside Corina Ilea.
Ofelia PopiiOfelia Popii is a prolific Romanian film and theater actress. She graduated from The Faculty of Theater of the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca in 2001. She holds a PhD in Theater and Performance Arts. In 2001, she played first role in the movie Grand Hotel Victoria. In 2015 she won the Gopo Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film Quod erat demonstrandum by Andrei Gruzsniczki. In 2019 she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Moon Hotel Kabul by Anca Damian.

Andra TararaAndra Tarara (b.1994) is an artist working in cinema, video art, photography. She is a UNATC Bucharest graduate in Film (2016) and a master's degree graduate in Visual Anthropology from SNSPA Bucharest (2018).

Us Against Us (premiered at Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival 2020) is Tarara’s first feature film, a documentary made in collaboration with her father, which explores their relationship through an authentic dialogue about the illness that affected both their lives. It was selected in various Romanian and international film festivals, won Best Romanian Film Award at Astra Film Festival 2021, and it was also part of cultural initiatives that aim to fight against the stigmatization of mental illnesses.
Raluca DurbacăRaluca Durbacă (b. 1983) is a Romanian director and film critic. She is a graduate of the National Film and Theatre School in Bucharest (2015) with a degree in Film Studies and of the National School for Communication and Public Relations (2006) with a degree in Political Communication. She has been a contributing editor for well-known Romanian film magazine Film Menu from 2012 to 2016 and has published film studies essays in two editions of the collective volume The Politics of Film in 2014 and 2018. She has has over 10 years experience in film production and development and is an alumni of Talents Sarajevo 2014 and Torino FilmLab's 2012 AdaptLab programe. The Certainty of Probabilities is her first feature documentary.
Cecília FelmériCecília Felméri (b.1978) graduated from the Sapientia University of Cluj-Napoca and then at the Bucharest I. L. Caragiale National Film Academy finished masterclass of filmmaking. She is currently the Assistant Professor at the Sapientia University Film-Photography-Media School in Cluj-Napoca. She is a one of the founding member and vice-president of the Hungarian Film Association of Transylvania.

Filmography as a Director:
2012 The Pill of Happiness – short fiction film, 12 min
2011 Infinite Minutes – short fiction film, 19 min
2010 Matthias, Matthias – animated documentary, 13 min
2008 Cuckoo - short fiction film, 17 min
Monica Lăzurean-GorganMonica Lăzurean-Gorgan was the delegate producer of Adina Pintilie's Golden Bear Winner Touch Me Not. With her newly established company Manifest Film, she produced Acasă, My Home, recipient of the Special Jury Award for cinematography in the World Cinema Documentary at Sundance 2020. She also directed A Mere Breath (2016), which won Best Documentary at LET'S CEE Film Fest and in Sarajevo.

Filmography:

Free Dacians (2018), A Mere Breath (2016), My Vote (2011)
Michaela KirstMichaela Kirst worked for many years as a journalist in New York and has headed the Berlin office of Sagafilm since 2011. She creates documentaries for TV and cinema as director and/or producer. Her films like DISGUSTINGLY HEALTHY, BROWN BABIES – GERMANY'S LOST CHILDREN or CRIME SCENE RAIN FOREST have won many awards. Filmography: Darwin on Times Square (2020), Himmel über Peking (2013), Tatort Regenwald: Undercover gegen die Holzmafia (2012), Jesus Loves You (2011).
Mihai MincanMihai Mincan is a Philosophy graduate from the University of Bucharest. Between 2004 and 2016 he worked as a journalist, editing many articles and investigative materials for the most important newspapers in Romania. In 2008 we wrote the script for the short film "The Palm Lines", which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival. Since then he wrote and directed the shorts The Comet (2017) and Idilă (2019) and the documentaries Bondoc (2015), Emigrant Blues (2019) and The Man who would be free (2019). In 2022 his feature film debut To the North had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section, and received the Bisato d'Oro prize for best film.

George Chiper-LillemarkGeorge Chiper-Lillemark is a director of photography and director living in Copenhagen. He has photographed numerous feature and short films, including Touch Me Not (2018) by Adina Pintilie. He also co-directed the short The Sandpit #186 (2009) with Adina Pintilie and The Man who would be free (2019) with Mihai Mincan. His short The Palm Lines (2009) was screened by Locarno and Rotterdam IFF. The drama Immaculate, which he co-directed with Monica Stan, was selected as Romania's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 2023 Oscars.
Ana DumitrașcuAna Dumitrașcu was born on December 5 1997 in Dragasani, Romania. She studied Acting at the National University of Theatre and Film "I.L.Caragiale" in Bucharest, Romania. Before graduating, she played her first leading part in Immaculate (2021), awarded the Lion of the Future Award for Best Debut at the 2021 Venice Film Festival. Ana Dumitrașcu's performance was praised in Cineuropa, ICSfilm along with several Romanian publications. Immaculate is Romania's Oscar entry for 2023, and it won the Lion of the Future Award for Best Debut at the Venice Film Festival in 2021, GdA Directors' Award in Giornate degli Autori Section, and the FIPRESCI award at TIFF Romania and a few other prizes and nominations. Ana is also a member of the Berlinale Talents community as she participated in Sarajevo Talents Program this year, in the Acting Studio Section. She is also known for several theatre shows and several short films including the musical "Crezi că-i grav" (2019), the queer drama "Our home" (2021), and the upcoming experimental,,Arcane/Anarhe’’. She started her career as a producer in 2021 by enrolling in the MA Program for film production at the same university, and she started producing several short films including Alin Duruian’s ,,Payday” and a feature, the upcoming ,,Loyal Customers’’ directed by Bogdan Balla. She is also a writer for the film publication ,,Film Menu’’ where she constantly challenges her vision upon cinema.
Alina GrigoreAlina Grigore has a bachelor degree at UNATC - Bucharest, Acting/Directing department, Adrian Titieni’s class. She is now a PhD student at the same university and an assistant researcher at CINETIC “International Research and Education Center for Innovative and Creative Technologies” in Bucharest.
While preparing the release of Blue Moon and its festival track for 2021, she is producing her second feature “Some Irrelevant Stories about Moms” (working title) having attached the Oscar winning actress Melissa Leo (The Fighter, Frozen River, 21 Grams, Prisoners) to star in it.

-Alumni Berlinale Talents 2018
-Best Actress, Subtitle Film Festival, Ireland 2016 for Illegitimate
-Best Script, Subtitle Film Festival, Ireland 2016 for Illegitimate
-Best Actress Europe, Autour De L’Europe Film Festival, France 2016 for Illegitimate
Luiza PârvuLuiza Pârvu is a filmmaker and educator based in Tempe, AZ. She is a member of the European Film Academy. She holds an MFA in Film Production from New York University - Tisch School of The Arts, New York, USA. She is an experienced media maker with professional working knowledge of all areas of production and post-production. Her directing and editing work covers a variety of genres, in both fiction and creative non-fiction: documentary, multimedia installation, and immersive media.

Her debut feature documentary, Ubi Bene Ibi Patria, is currently in post-production. Shot across Europe and the US, the film explores the theme of immigration and issues of ethnicity, gender and class in the form of an urgent and personal movie diary.

The award winning films she has directed or edited so far have been recognized in over 150 film festivals and events worldwide such as Karlovy Vary IFF, Sundance FF, BFI London, Busan IFF, Transilvania IFF, Tribeca FF or Abu Dhabi IFF. In 2012, she was a nominee in the Rising Star category at the GOPO Romanian Film Industry Awards for directing her short film Draft 7.
Alexandru BelcAlexandru Belc was born in 1980 in Romania. He graduated from the Bucharest Film School in 2007 and obtained a master’s degree in political sciences in 2012. During his studies, he made several short films and documentaries. He then worked as an Assistant Director for Corneliu Porumboiu and Cristian Mungiu. He worked as script supervisor on Cristian Mungiu's 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 1 DAY (Palme d'Or in 2007). His first feature documentary, MARCH 8th, about women in the workplace, screened in numerous international festivals in 2013. His second feature documentary, CINEMA MY LOVE, a portrait of a Romanian art-house exhibitor, was distributed by Outplay Films in France and released in theaters in May 2017. METRONOM, his first fiction film, is in the Official Selection Un Certain Regard at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
Mara BugarinMara Bugarin is a Romanian film and theatre actor, who was born in 2001 in Timisoara, Romania. She graduated from the German High School in 2020, and next year she will complete her studies at the National University of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography. Mara played the leading role of ‘Ana Stefan’ opposite Vlad Ivanov in Alexandru Belc’s feature film METRONOM, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and which won the director’s prize there. Mara also played the part of ‘Alice’ in the television series EXPORT ONLY, which was directed by Cristina Iliescu. She is a frequent collaborator with the German Theatre in Timisoara, and since 2012 she has performed in plays with SAS Theatre in Bucharest. Next year, Mara will star in two major new productions in Romania.
Robert HortonRobert Horton is the film critic for Seattle Weekly and the Everett Herald, and a longtime contributor to Film Comment. He curated the Magic Lantern film-discussion program at the Frye Art Museum for ten years, teaches film at Seattle University, and is a guest speaker for Smithsonian Journeys. His books include Frankenstein (Columbia University Press) and Billy Wilder: Interviews (University Press of Mississippi) as well as the zombie-Western graphic novel Rotten (Moonstone Books), and he blogs on movies at The Crop Duster (roberthorton.wordpress.com). He is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association. In 2012 he curated the Museum of History & Industry's "Celluloid Seattle: A City at the Movies" exhibit.
Roman BondarchukRoman Bondarchuk graduated from the Kyiv state University of Theatre, Cinema and TV. His teacher was Yuriy Illenko – one of the founders of Ukrainian Poetic Cinema school. Roman has created a number of short films, documentaries and music videos. He's an author of the book of novels, photography and contemporary art exhibitions. He's also been an award-winner at national and international film festivals. Roman works as art director and member of Selection Committee of International Human Rights documentary film festival Doucdays UA. As a documentary director he collaborated with MDR, ZDF, Arte and other TV channels. Among his famous films "The taxi-driver", "Radunytsia", "Cafe "Voyage", "Euromaidan. Rough cut". "Ukrainian Sheriffs" is his first feature-length documentary.
Andrei DăscălescuAndrei Dăscălescu is an established Romanian documentary film director, cinematographer and editor. His first two feature documentaries, Planet Petrila (2016) and Constantin and Elena (2008) have won prestigious awards (including awards at IDFA and Sarajevo Film Festival), have been selected in major international film festivals across the world (IDFA, San Francisco, Vancouver, Krakow, DocLisboa, Docaviv, Sarajevo, Montpellier etc.). Andrei was nominated 4 times and won "Best Documentary Award" in 2018 at the Gopo Awards (the Romanian equivalent to Academy Awards) with his documentary, Planet Petrila. His third documentary, Holy Father (2020) premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival, where it won the Jury Award. It also won the Audience Award at Astra Film Festival (Sibiu, Romania), the Best Director Award at Qara Film Festival (Almaty, Kazakhstan) and has been screened at festival such as Black Nights Tallinn, Magnificent 7 Belgrade, Go East Wiesbaden, Trieste Film Festival, Zagreb Dox and others). He is the founder and owner of FilmLab production company since 2007.
Kateryna RubanKateryna Ruban is a Ukrainian historian. In September 2022 she received a PhD from New York University. In her dissertation, Dr. Ruban explores the role of abortion in Soviet life. Earlier, she earned masters degrees in Central European University in Hungary and in Kyiv Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Before coming to the US, Kateryna was a part of the Visual Culture Research Center in Kyiv. Starting from December 2022, Dr. Ruban will be a Junior Visiting Fellow at the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at the George Washington University and will focus on turning her dissertation into a book. She will also continue her research on how Russian academia presents the war in Ukraine and its role in this war for the Western audience.

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Global Competence Certificate for Romanian Heritage Speakers- 2022-2023
2022-11-17 12:00 - 2023-03-24 18:00 UTC | Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave, Seattle, 98104, United States
ARCS is proud to announce that we received funds from The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Migrant/Bilingual Department to continue our program started in 2020, in partnership with Wenatchee Public Schools, in WA State. We will develop a year-long remote-learning program for Heritage Language speakers of Romanian, together with Russian and Spanish speaking instructors, students and communiy representatives.
The project-based curriculum will integrate content and functional language (such as writing or presenting summaries, narratives, descriptions, etc.) through synchronous interactive classes through Zoom and with online videos. Engaging, culturally and developmentally appropriate activities will be offered in a flexible way so that students’ learning experiences are personalized to their needs and interests. Over the year, the students would be developing evidence (in the Heritage Language) for their Global Competence Certificate in the areas of Global Learning, International Engagement, and Language and Intercultural Learning. Resources from this program will be open to teachers, schools, students, and families throughout the state and adaptable to other languages and cultures.
The project will support the students to develop their language proficiency and literacy in their Heritage Language culminating in ALTA testing, while also preparing a portfolio for the Global Competence Certificate in the Heritage Language (and English too, if they like) through the World Affairs Council in Seattle.
REGISTER HERE

Upon completion of the program, students will also have the opportunity to complete World Language Competency-Based Credit testing to earn high school credits in their language and potentially qualify for the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy. They may also qualify for the Global Seal of Biliteracy https://theglobalseal.com/.
The grant will also fund a series of workshops for teachers throughout the state to learn more about effective Heritage Language teaching practices.
To receive our email announcements please fill in this contact form. Or contact:

Dr. Michele Anciaux Aoki, Grant Project Manager
intledwa@gmail.com
Dr. Ileana Marin, Romanian Program Lead Instructor
ileana.marin@arcsproject.org
Ryan Hauck, Education Director, World Affairs Council
rhauck@world-affairs.org

View our presentation at the WAFLT 2020 Virtual Conference.

Click on the links below to register:
1) Thursday, August 25 at 6:30pm PST
2) Monday, August 29 at 6:30pm PST
3) Monday, September 12 at 6:30pm PST
4) Thursday, September 15 at 6:30pm PST Focus on Ukrainian
5) Monday, September 26 at 6:30pm PST Focus on Ukrainian
6) Monday, October 17, 2022 06:30-07:30 PM Pacific Time
Come learn more about the new Heritage Language Grant for the Global Competence Certificate for Heritage Speakers.
What:
Year-long remote-learning program for students to earn the Global Competence Certificate for Heritage Speakers and the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
Who:
Public high school heritage speakers of Romanian. The students need to have intermediate knowledge of Romanian.
When:
The program will run October 2022 through June 2023.
How Much:
The program is free for qualified public high school students, but space is very limited.
To receive our email announcements please fill in this contact form. To access this information in Romanian go here.

Q: Who can register for this program?
A: Because of the state grant funding through OSPI Migrant/Bilingual, this program is only open to students attending public high schools in Washington state.
Q: What is the cost of the program?
A: The cost of the program is funded by the state grant, so there are no registration fees required of students and their families.
Q: When does the program begin?
A: We are planning to recruit students during December and expect to begin the program mid-January.
For more details about the program please go here.
Partners:
Wenatchee Public Schools
Ethnic Heritage Council
Slavic East European Teachers Association of Washington
Washington Association for Language Teaching
Washington State Coalition for International Education
World Affairs Council Global Classroom.

Global Competence Certificate Award Ceremony
2022-11-17 12:00 - 2023-03-24 18:00 UTC | WA
Join us for the closing celebration of the Global Competence Certificate for Heritage Language Speakers via Zoom on June 28, 6:00-7:30 pm PDT.
We’ll be recognizing the students who have successfully tested and qualified for the State Seal of Biliteracy and the Global Seal of Biliteracy, as well as those who completed the Global Competence Certificate portfolio developed during this unique program.
About the grant program
In August 2020, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Migrant/Bilingual Department awarded a first-ever grant to Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, WA, to develop an online program for Heritage Language speakers of Romanian, Russian, and Spanish. The project has supported the students to develop proficiency in their Heritage Language, while also preparing a portfolio for the Global Competence Certificate in their Heritage Language (and/or in English), through the World Affairs Council in Seattle. Our students also had the opportunity to complete World Language Competency-Based Credit testing to earn high school credits in Romanian and potentially qualify for the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy. A number have also qualified for the Global Seal of Biliteracy https://theglobalseal.com/.
For registration please visit https://www.internationaledwa.org/events/hl-grant-global-competence-award-ceremony-2022/

Mărțișoare Workshop
2023-03-05 13:00 - 15:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Join us for a spring celebration of “Mărțișor” and March 8! The name "Mărțișor" is a diminutive of March (Martie in Romanian). It is believed that the person who wears the red and white string would enjoy a prosperous and healthy year. Read more HERE The wearing of “mărțișoare” also coincides with March 8, International Women’s Day or the traditional Mother’s Day in Romania. We invite children of Romanian heritage for a free creative workshop where they can learn how to make their own “mărțișoare” and honor their moms in their own special way. Please fill out the registration form for each child. Register HERE We are waiting for you at: MLK Fame Community Center3201 E Republican St, Ste 104Seattle, WA 9812

In-between WOR/L/DS
2023-03-12 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Join us on March 12 at 2pm for an intimate reading with authors Alina Ștefănescu, Alta Ifland and Otilia Baraboi. Author Alta Ifland will be reading from her novel Speaking to No. 4, Alina Ștefănescu will share fragments from her work in progress on Carmen Bugan's memoir, Burying the Typewriter, and Otilia Baraboi will read from her manuscript titled An Updated Theory on Untranslatability. We look forward for a special afternoon that brings these three American Romanian writers together: Alina Ștefănescu from Birmingham, Alabama, Alta Ifland from San Francisco, California and Otilia Baraboi from Seattle, Washington. Read more about the authors below. Please RSVP here.March 12 @2pm MLK Fame Community Center3201 E Republican St, Ste 104Seattle, WA 98112 GuestsAlina ȘtefănescuAlina Ștefănescu was born in Romania and lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her partner and several intense mammals. Recent books include a creative nonfiction chapbook, Ribald (Bull City Press Inch Series, Nov. 2020) and Dor, which won the Wandering Aengus Press Prize (September, 2021). Her debut fiction collection, Every Mask I Tried On, won the Brighthorse Books Prize (April 2018). Alina's poems, essays, and fiction can be found in Prairie Schooner, North American Review, World Literature Today, Pleiades, Poetry, BOMB, Crab Creek Review, and others. She serves as poetry editor for several journals, reviewer and critic for others, and Co-Director of PEN America's Birmingham Chapter. She is currently working on a novel-like creature. More online at www.alinastefanescuwriter.com. Person not found Otilia Baraboi, Ph.D.Before coming to Seattle in 2000 from Romania, Otilia worked as a literary journalist and published short-fiction, translations and articles. She holds university degrees in French and English literatures from Romania, Switzerland, and the US. She has a Ph.D. on the politics of translation from the University of Washington, where she taught French language and literature for 17 years, and where she is currently co-teaching a course on Romanian literature and film. In 2013, she co-founded ARCS and was President of the Board for five years before becoming ARCS’ first Executive Director. For Otilia, ARCS has been a wonderful opportunity to remain connected with the vibrant culture of her birthplace, while contributing to the artistic and cultural vitality of the Pacific Northwest. As part of her work, Otilia has been managing the Romanian Film Festival in Seattle and ARCS community-based school for Romanian heritage students, as well as more than 300 cultural and educational events over the past 9 years. Her priorities are to create sustainable, community-building programs and partnerships, as well as develop ARCS' brand identity in accordance with its mission and values. Most of all, Otilia hopes that her work will have a direct, long-lasting impact on the ways in which future generations will define, celebrate and pass on their heritage. Otilia is also the President of the Ethnic Heritage Council of the Pacific Northwest and a board member of Romanian United Fund.

Romanian Spring Menu with Irina Georgescu
2023-03-19 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Online
Online Cooking Class with Irina Georgescu
Join us on a virtual culinary adventure around Romania with Irina Georgescu, acclaimed food writer and author of Carpathia and Tava. You will remember Irina from our 2020 Sensory Journeys series.
In the first class on March 19th start a journey to the heart of Romanian cuisine with three iconic dishes. Irina Georgescu’s class will be focused on a Romanian menu using only staple ingredients.
We’ll start by making a cornmeal and cheese layered dish, called mămăligă în straturi, while learning about why this ingredient is part of Romania’s gastronomic DNA. We’ll continue with a conversation about pickles and fermented vegetables while making a fantastic, tangy-sweet gherkin stew in tomato sauce, mâncare de castraveți, that pairs perfectly with thick slices of bread. To finish in style, we’ll also make a popular version of the famous Romanian dessert: papanași fierți, simmered curd cheese dumplings served with crème fraîche (smântână), and jam of your choice. While cooking, you will learn about the cultural influences in Romanian cuisine and more than a few tricks on how to cook with cornmeal ‘the Romanian way.’
To recap the menu:
Starter: layered cornmeal with cheese, mămăligă în straturi
Main course: pickled gherkin stew, mâncare de castraveți acri
Dessert: simmered curd cheese dumplings, papanași fierți
The menu is for 4 people. The dishes are vegetarian but not dairy and gluten-free. Duration: 90 minutes.
Course fee: $30 (Please scroll down to pay)
Register HERE
After you register and pay, you will receive the recipes so you can be ready for your culinary and cultural adventure with Irina!
Don’t miss the next class, Romanian pies or plăcinte!
This course series is organized by ARCS with support from ARCS Arizona and ARCS Detroit.
Photos credit: Irina Georgescu, Jamie Orlando Smith and Matt Russell.

Irina Georgescu
Irina Georgescu is a UK food writer and author from Romania, whose work draws on her Eastern European heritage. She writes with integrity and respesct towards this rich heritage, and constantly raises the profile of Romanian culinary identity, bringing forward traditions and realities little known outside of her country.
Her first book, ‘Carpathia, food from the heart of Romania’ was shortlisted by the UK Guild of Food Writers for the Best International Cookbook Award, while its German translation was awarded a Silver Feather by the German Culinary Academy. The book was also translated into Hungarian and Dutch. Her second book, ‘Tava, Eastern European Baking and Desserts from Romania and Beyond’ is a meticulously researched baking book celebrating centuries of diversity and overlapping cultures that form today’s cuisine in Romania. A German translation is due in February 2023.

Sculptural Sumptuousness
2023-04-01 16:00 - 18:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Save the date for a special exhibit! Join us April 1 at 4pm for a jewelry exhibit by local artist Magda Nica.
The Sculptural Sumptuousness jewelry was created using velvet, glass-blown Murano beads and Mallorca pearls. Pieces from this collection can also be viewed at the Seattle Art Museum (date to be determined).
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to ARCS to support our education programs. Thank you, Magda!
Magda was part of the Exquisite Gorge Project II: Fiber Arts last year at the Maryhill Museum of Art! Read more about Magda below.
Please RSVP here.

Magda Nica
Magda Nica is a recognized artist with extensive experience across jewelry design, glass blowing, painting, and poetry. She has been living in Rome for over 20 years and currently commutes between Rome and Europe. Magda has had numerous exhibitions of her jewelry and artwork in Rome, London, Luxor, Tokyo, and other cities around the world.

ARCS Romanian Heritage Language and Culture School - Spring 2023
2023-04-03 12:00 - 2023-06-16 18:00 UTC | WA
Are you interested in stimulating your children’s creativity, nourish their bicultural and bilingual heritage?
Our Romanian Heritage Language School offers innovative virtual classes and workshops for children, youth and adults with Romanian background or with an interest to learn Romanian, nationwide. Our teaching methods are based on the core principles of Heritage Language Education to nourish bilingualism and address holisitically the bi-cultural identity of our students through project-based activities, play, authentic sources, critical thinking, and meaningful interactions with their families and communities. Our students gain pride and confidence as heritage language speakers and learners of Romanian, while developing a global understanding of the world.
We are the first Romanian secular community-based school to have developed a teaching curriculum according to the priciples of HERITAGE EDUCATION, since 2016.
Our current students come from numerous regions in the US. We can accommodate to various time zones and have demonstrated experience teaching multiple levels and age groups.
Registration
REGISTRATION is now OPEN for ages 6+. Please REGISTER HERE. We will contact you to schedule a brief language evaluation, if necessary. Please see the payment options below after you register.
Payment Options
Most of our courses cost 25$/hour, $250 for 10 sessions in the spring quarter 2023.
We offer a 15% discount for students who have previously taken three classes with us.
Please scroll down to chose the payment option right for you. Thank you.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.
Calendar & Holidays
We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you. The times indicated in the schedule are only orientative. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Spring Quarter: April 3 – June 16

Spring break: April 10-14

Mircea Cărtărescu in conversation with Ileana Marin
2023-04-05 19:00 UTC | Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave, Seattle, 98104, United States
Mircea Cărtărescu, one of Romania’s most well-known contemporary authors, is embarking on a US book tour for Solenoid. He will be making a stop at the Seattle Public Library on April 5 at 7pm!
“[S]omething of a masterpiece . . . Solenoid synthesizes and subtly mocks elements of autofiction and history fiction by way of science fiction… The mesmerizing beauty of creation, of reality giving way to itself: that, above all, lies behind the doors of Solenoid.” —Federico Perelmuter, Astra Magazine
This event is made possible by Cărtărescu’s American publisher Deep Vellum, the Romanian Cultural Institute, and the American Romanian Cultural Society.
University of Washington scholar Ileana Marin, co-founder and President of the American Romanian Cultural Society, will join in conversation.
Venue: Seattle Public Library (Central Branch), Microsoft Auditorium, 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
Time: 7pm
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required in advance.
RSVP
This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book, or request a hold at your local library.
Please note: Solenoid is currently out of stock. A reprint from the publisher is expected soon and copies of Solenoid will be made available at the event.
About Solenoid. . .
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2022 by the New Yorker, Publishers Weekly, The Financial Times, Words Without Borders
A highly-acclaimed master work of fiction from Cărtărescu, author of Blinding: an existence (and eventually a cosmos) created by forking paths.
Based on Cărtărescu’s own role as a high school teacher, Solenoid begins with the mundane details of a diarist’s life and quickly spirals into a philosophical account of life, history, philosophy, and mathematics. One character asks another: when you rush into the burning building, will you save the newborn or the artwork? On a broad scale, the novel’s investigations of other universes, dimensions, and timelines reconcile the realms of life and art.
The novel is grounded in the reality of late 1970s/early 1980s Communist Romania, including long lines for groceries, the absurdities of the education system, and the misery of family life. The text includes sequences in a tuberculosis sanatorium, an encounter with an anti-death protest movement, a society of dream investigators, and an extended visit to the miniscule world of dust mites living on a microscope slide.
Combining fiction with autobiography and history— the scientists Nicolae Tesla and George Boole, for example, appear alongside the Voynich manuscript—Solenoid ruminates on the exchanges possible between the alternate dimensions of life and art, as various, monstrous dimensions erupt within the Communist present.
Mircea Cărtărescu is a writer, professor, and journalist who has published more than twenty-five books. His work has received the Formentor Prize (2018), the Thomas Mann Prize (2018), the Austrian State Prize for Literature (2015), and the Vilenica Prize (2011), among many others. His work has been translated into twenty-three languages. His novel Blinding was published by Archipelago in Sean Cotter’s English translation. His novel Solenoid, translated by Cotter and published by Deep Vellum, was named one of the best books of 2022 by the New Yorker, Publishers Weekly, The Financial Times, and Words Without Borders.

Ileana Marin teaches interdisciplinary courses at the University of Washington, Seattle, and at the Center of Excellence in Image Studies of the University of Bucharest, where she chairs the “Space, Image, Text, Territory” Doctoral School. She has published books on tragic myths, Pre-Raphaelite artists, and on Victorian aesthetics of erasure in fiction and illustration. Several of her conference papers on the de-humanizing power of art, the artistic legacy of communism, and the materiality of texts have been selected for publication in prestigious journals and collective volumes. Increasingly interested in multimediality, she has focused on artists’ books, E-Literature, and digital arts. Since 2020, she has taken on translating Romanian female writers. She is co-founder, and currently the President of the Seattle non-profit American Romanian Cultural Society.

GiveBIG for Our Youth
2023-04-18 - 2023-05-03 | WA
The Romanian American National Heritage Award is an annual competition for high school students with Romanian heritage or background. Applicants of non-Romanian descent may qualify, as long as their work and experience relate to Romania or the Romanian community in the US.
The award recognizes exceptional contributions to the cohesion of the Romanian community and the preservation of its heritage, language, culture and traditions.
In the past years the award has helped the 60+ recipients distinguish themselves in their admission process to top colleges and institutions, such as Dartmouth College, Wesleyan University, Pitzer College, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Whitman College, Purdue University, UW Honors, Harvard and many others.
Granted by the American Romanian Cultural Society, in partnership with the Romanian United Fund and Alianța, and with the endorsement of the Embassy of Romania to the United States. The Award Ceremony will be hosted at the Alianța Gala in Washington D.C. in November 2023. With the support or ARCS Arizona and ARCS Detroit.
Early giving starts April 18! With your donation we can make an even bigger impact for our Romanian-American youth!
Community Partners:

GiveBIG

College Admissions Workshop
2023-04-20 19:15 - 20:30 UTC | Holy Three Hierarchs Romanian Orthodox Church, 6402 226th St SW, Mountlake Terrace, 98043, United States
Our college admissions workshop is back! Join us April 20 at 7:15pm for a free informational session about the best practices when planning your college experience. *Please note the workshop has been rescheduled.
ARCS has a track record for helping high school students from the Romanian community make their college applications stand out and get accepted to very selective colleges (Harvard, UC Berkeley, Duke University, and more).
RSVP
The presentation is done by experienced ARCS volunteers, with the support of the Holy Three Hierarchs Church. There are no obligations and no expectations for paid services.
If you are a high school student looking for volunteer opportunities, please emails us at contact@arcsproject.org
Iulian Calinov
iulian.calinov@arcsproject.org

Iulian Calinov was born in Bucharest Romania. Iulian holds a masters degree in Electrical Engineering from the Politehnica University of Bucharest and a Masters of Business Administration in Corporate Finance jointly from Bucharest School of Economics and Université du Québec à Montréal. Iulian has worked as an Assistant Professor with the Politechnica University of Bucharest for 6 years after graduation, teaching Control Theory, Digital Control, Microprocessor Systems, Electric Drives and Microeconomics. After a brief stint as a Treasurer for Philip Moris in Romania, Iulian moved to the United States to work for Microsoft in Redmond, WA in 1998. Currently, Iulian is a Program Manager with Facebook, and serves the Romanian community in Seattle as a Honorary Consul on Romania as well as the Secretary of Romanian American Society of Washington State.

International Children's Friendship Festival
2023-04-22 11:00 - 2023-04-23 18:00 UTC | Seattle Center – Fisher Pavilion, 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States
ARCS is excited to participate at this year’s International Children’s Friendship Festival! We will share a table with members from the local Moldovan community to promote Romania and Moldova, so please come stop by!
International Children’s Friendship Festival is an event that is run by children and features performances by children. Various nationalities are represented through music, folk dancing and art. The children celebrate their international friendship through experiencing the rich tapestry of the world’s cultures.
The event is well-established and recognized in the Northwest as a volunteer-run festival with a loyal crowd and an increasing number of new children every year. The festival is annually recognized by proclamations of several elected officials in Washington State.
The event is free and open to the public.
Our reach goes beyond the borders of Washington State, all the way to the other side of the world. Over the years we have had the pleasure to host guests performers from Republic of Seychelles, Mongolia and Mexico. They’ve come all the way to Seattle to share their culture with the children of Pacific Northwest. Not only was this a once in a lifetime experience for those children, but it also provided an opportunity for the local children to mingle with and learn about people from very different backgrounds.
Learn more about the festival here.

Romanian Pies (plăcinte) with Irina Georgescu
2023-04-30 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Online
Online Cooking Class with Irina Georgescu

Our Romanian cooking series with Irina Georgescu continues!
There’s nothing more Romanian than the pies called plăcinte. Prized as an easy-to-eat, satisfying street food staple, plăcinte also take different forms across the country.
Together with author Irina Georgescu, you will bake one of the most popular plăcinte: Romanian apple pie.
It features a not-too-sweet filling studded with raisins and walnuts that allows the apples to take centre stage. You’ll learn how to make a supple and easy-to-make dough that uses a secret ingredient (hint: it’s sour cream) to guarantee a delicious and traditional pie.
While this is in the oven, we’ll make a savoury cheese pastry from Dobrogea in south-eastern Romania, called șuberec. You will learn about the rich ethnic diversity of this region in Romania, and the variations of this iconic pastry. If you can resist eating them as soon as they’re done, Irina will also teach you a quick cabbage slaw with a refreshing dressing that pairs perfectly with the rich, cheesy pastry.
In this course, you will make:
Apple pie, plăcintă cu mere
Fried cheese pie, șuberec
Cabbage salad, salată de varză
The menu is for 4 people. The dishes are vegetarian but not dairy and gluten-free. Duration: 90 minutes.
Course fee: $30 (Please scroll down to pay)
Register HERE
After you register and pay, you will receive the recipes so you can be ready for your culinary and cultural adventure with Irina!
More cooking courses added here!
This course series is organized by ARCS with support from ARCS Arizona and ARCS Detroit.

Irina Georgescu
Irina Georgescu is a UK food writer and author from Romania, whose work draws on her Eastern European heritage. She writes with integrity and respesct towards this rich heritage, and constantly raises the profile of Romanian culinary identity, bringing forward traditions and realities little known outside of her country.
Her first book, ‘Carpathia, food from the heart of Romania’ was shortlisted by the UK Guild of Food Writers for the Best International Cookbook Award, while its German translation was awarded a Silver Feather by the German Culinary Academy. The book was also translated into Hungarian and Dutch. Her second book, ‘Tava, Eastern European Baking and Desserts from Romania and Beyond’ is a meticulously researched baking book celebrating centuries of diversity and overlapping cultures that form today’s cuisine in Romania. A German translation is due in February 2023.

Book Signing with Roxana Arama
2023-05-04 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Meet Seattle author Roxana Arama at a book signing for her debut novel, Extreme Vetting.
About the book: An immigration lawyer fights to keep her client from being deported to the country where his family was murdered many years ago.
Then she finds out the killers are coming here—for both of them.
“Extreme Vetting was unlike any thriller I have ever read; Arama kept me on my toes the entire novel, eager to know what the future holds for Emilio and his family. I appreciated how knowledgeable Arama was about the immigration process and her sensitivity to the struggles and major obstacles these peoples face. Truly a timely book, this novel can be an eye-opener to the violence and aggression so many immigrants are fleeing from.”
— Theresa Kadair, Seattle Book Review
“Arama’s taut narrative brims with tension and indelible characters. ( . . . ) A remarkable cast sparks this incisive, riveting tale of intolerance.”

— Kirkus Reviews
Please RSVP here.
The book will be available for purchase at the event, but you
can also order a copy here.
May 4 @6pm
MLK Fame Community Center
3201 E Republican St, Ste 104
Seattle, WA 98112

Roxana Arama
Roxana Arama is a Romanian American author with a master of fine arts in creative writing from Goddard College. She studied computer science in Bucharest, Romania, and moved to the United States to work in software development. Her short stories and essays have been published in many literary magazines. Extreme Vetting: A Thriller is her first novel. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her family. More at roxanaarama.com.

Romanian Cooking Courses with Irina Georgescu
2023-06-03 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Online
We have added more dates to our series of cooking courses with Irina Georgescu! Her cook books Carpathia and Tava have received wide acclaim. Tava has been recently nominated for a James Beard Award!
Join us on more culinary adventures as Irina teaches us about Romanian dishes from around the country, infused with cultural and historical references.
June 3, 12-2pm PST – Romanian Mezze
Covrigi – bread loops filled with ham: an iconic street food staple made with a very simple dough where the quantity of oil is key to how they turn out. Irina will explain the variations before you start preparing the recipe.
Fasole Bătută – garlicky white bean spread served with caramelised onions: a wonderful alternative to chickpea hummus, light and packed full of flavour.
Ciușpais – Zucchini (Courgette) Dip

July 2, 12-2pm PST – Romanian Vegetarian Meal
Plăcintă cu caise – Apricot Pie
Ciulama de ciuperci – mushrooms with garlicky sour cream white sauce
Courses are $30 each.
Register and pay at the links below. After you pay, you will receive the zoom link and ingredient list so you can be ready for your culinary and cultural adventure with Irina!
A recording of the class will be available for 7 days for paid registrants.
This course series is organized by ARCS with support from ARCS Arizona and ARCS Detroit.
Irina Georgescu
Irina Georgescu is a UK food writer and author from Romania, whose work draws on her Eastern European heritage. She writes with integrity and respesct towards this rich heritage, and constantly raises the profile of Romanian culinary identity, bringing forward traditions and realities little known outside of her country.
Her first book, ‘Carpathia, food from the heart of Romania’ was shortlisted by the UK Guild of Food Writers for the Best International Cookbook Award, while its German translation was awarded a Silver Feather by the German Culinary Academy. The book was also translated into Hungarian and Dutch. Her second book, ‘Tava, Eastern European Baking and Desserts from Romania and Beyond’ is a meticulously researched baking book celebrating centuries of diversity and overlapping cultures that form today’s cuisine in Romania. A German translation is due in February 2023.
Home

Ziua iei - Traditions from Romania and Moldova!
2023-06-24 12:00 - 16:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Join us June 24, 12-4pm, for a celebration of Romanian heritage and traditions!
We invite you at our ARCS Center for an exhibition of ie (Romanian traditional blouse) and fun activities for kids to learn about Romanian and Moldovan traditional costumes, as well as the legends surrounding Sânziene, a midsummer celebration, which is also observed on June 24. Wear your ie!
At the initiative of La Blouse Romaine, the Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is now recognized on June 24 and we’re happy to take part in this wide-spread celebration with our community in Seattle!
Did you know? As of December 1, 2022 the traditional Romanian and Moldovan blouse with embroidery on the shoulder is now on UNESCO’s list on intangible cultural heritage.
Please RSVP Here.
We look forward to seeing you!
June 24, 12-4pm
MLK Fame Community Center
3201 E Republican St, Ste 104
Seattle, WA 98112

Paris Chansons
2023-06-24 17:30 - 22:00 UTC | The Tripple Door, 216 Union St, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
06/
Paris Chansons returns to the beautiful Triple Door in Seattle on Saturday, June 24th, with a NEW, exciting show! Featuring original renditions of favorites from Aznavour, Dassin, Piaf, Brel, Macias, Adamo, Dalida to Zaz & Stromae PLUS some of the most beautiful Italian & Eastern European and Balkan classics!
TWO concerts: 5:30PM & 8:30PM
You can see video clips and get your tickets here:
https://tickets.thetripledoor.net/eventperformances.asp?evt=1602
Paris Chansons is an exciting French band with an international twist based in Los Angeles! They are known for their original renditions of French favorites from Aznavour, Dassin, Piaf, Macias, Adamo, Dalida, all the way to contemporary artists like Zaz. Their exhilarating performances are punctuated with gypsy jazz standards as well as classics in Russian, Italian, and other languages.
Three multilingual singers bring an unparalleled diversity to their shows. Julia Kantor, originally from the Ukraine, lived and studied in France where she discovered in French music a soul connection that still imbues every performance. She entrances from the stage with a sultry voice and dynamic presence. Together with her husband, Jacob, a Russian-born singer/songwriter, they launched Paris Chansons. Max Cohen grew up in Morocco steeped in French music, particularly the songs of Enrico Macias. Max’s rich velvety tone delivers beautifully nuanced renditions of his favorites, complete with a signature North African lilt.
Superb musicianship anchors the ensemble, effortlessly moving from jazzy improvisation to slow-burning balladry to blistering gypsy fervor. All seasoned pros, the musicians are Jeff Lams on piano, Adam Cohen on upright bass, Endre Balogh on violin, Sinclair Lott on drums and Jacob Kantor on guitar. Paris Chansons takes you an a journey without leaving your seat (except, of course, to dance!), a spectacular celebration of French and international music that brings the world that much closer.

Romanian American National Heritage Award - 7th Edition
2023-06-30 08:00 - 2023-11-29 17:00 UTC | The Willard Hotel, Washington DC
Romanian American National Heritage Awards 2023, 7th edition The Romanian American National Heritage Award is an annual competition for high school students with Romanian heritage or background. Applicants of non-Romanian descent may qualify, as long as their work and experience relate to Romania or the Romanian community in the US. The award recognizes exceptional contributions to the cohesion of the Romanian community and the preservation of its heritage, language, culture and traditions. The jury representing the three organizations involved base their decision on the national and international impact of the volunteering activity described, the candidate's academic achievements and leadership potential and tracked record, as well as their future vision for the benefit of the Romanian community, locally and beyond. Congratulations to the Winners of This Year's Edition : Victor Ene National Platinum AwardAndrea Klein National Platinum AwardGabriela Pirtea National Platinum AwardCaterina Stoica National Platinum AwardStephanie Dragoi National Gold AwardAna Girnita National Gold AwardMara Haiduc National Gold AwardAlexandra Lehene National Gold AwardElisa Tunaru National Gold AwardMarina Diaconu National Silver AwardGruia Radu National Silver AwardDaniel Rimbu National Silver AwardLarissa Sambotin National Silver AwardAna Guset US Central Platinum AwardRoxana Stanescu US West Platinum AwardMichael Stoica US East Platinum AwardJulia Triculescu US Central Platinum AwardLuca Barbat US West Gold AwardTeodora Diaconu US East Gold AwardEmma Manole US West Gold AwardSophia Manole US West Gold AwardAna Martin US East Gold AwardAyden Pana US Central Gold AwardAlexa Zaharia US Central Gold AwardInara Zayic US Central Gold AwardAlissia Anghel US Central Silver AwardMatei Busu US Central Silver AwardAlexandru Cernea US Central Silver AwardAlexandru Dragoi US East Silver AwardEmma Dram US Central Silver AwardDaniel Fanaru US West Silver AwardDan Haidau US Central Silver AwardLaura Melinciuc US East Silver AwardAndrew Zaharia US West Silver AwardMaya Alexa Honorary Mention AwardDavid Bora Honorary Mention AwardMatei Panaitisor Honorary Mention AwardDavid Tunduc Honorary Mention AwardRebekah Weidell Honorary Mention Award NEW - Romanian Bridge Builders sectionNow at the 7th edition, Romanian American National Heritage Award is adding a new section to the prestigious Awards. The Romanian American community is not only cohesive within the United States, but many of its members are also working to strengthen the heritage connections between Romanian Americans and their ancestral lands in Romania. This always involves hard work from generous people from both United States and Romania. The outcome of this work is a strong global community of Romanians, which benefits both United States and Romania. The Award committee is now recognizing the contribution of high school students in Romania to strengthening these heritage connections between Romanian Americans and their ancestral lands in Romania. The Romanian Bridge Builders Award is granted to high school students in Romania who through their work make the world better. Winners of this year’s edition are: Luca-David Vulpe, a junior at the Emanuil Godju High School in Oradea, Bihor for his contribution to the charity work of the One World Association Romania as well as outstanding academic achievementsHarris Kopanyi, a sophomore at the Emanuil Godju High School in Oradea, Bihor for his work with the Prima Foundation helping children in Bihor County and outstanding academic and athletic achievementsIt is an honor for the Romanian American community to host them at the award ceremony held at the Alianța Gala on November 29th 2023. Granted by the American Romanian Cultural Society and Romanian United Fund, Romanian American Professional Network, with the endorsement of the Embassy of Romania to the United States. The Award Ceremony will be hosted at the Alianța Gala in November. With the support or ARCS Arizona and ARCS Detroit. Community Partners: Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you want to join us as a community partner. Recognition and Awards All eligible participants will receive the official recognition of the Romanian Embassy in the United States and the top winners will receive awards of up to $1000. In the past years the award has helped the recipients distinguish themselves in their admission process to top colleges and institutions, such as Dartmouth College, Wesleyan University, Pitzer College, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Whitman College, Purdue University, UW Honors, Harvard and many others. Timeline June 30 - Submission of Applications OpensOctober 15th - Submission of Applications ClosesOctober 31 - Winners Announced November 29 - Award Ceremony at Alianța Gala Apply HEREEligibility: ​​Age and residence: For the 2023 edition, participants must be enrolled in High School in United States for the 2022-2023 academic year. Academic standing: Minimum unweighted High School GPA of 3.0 – or equivalent, running average for the last school year.Team work: Both individuals and teams can participate in the competition. Participation in teams is encouraged. To encourage leadership and simplify the evaluation process, the maximum team size is 5, including the leader. There are no Romanian or US citizenship requirements. There are no fees required, this competition is entirely free to participate for eligible students. ​Eligibility for national participantsThe top 5 winners of the regional competitions advance to the national competition. Evaluation criteria The following criteria will be used in the evaluation process (not all criteria are required, but they will strengthen your application): 1) Community work and leadershipThe number of volunteering hours and their visible outcome and results will be a strong factor in the evaluation. Where applicable and possible, volunteering and community work in Romania (e.g. groundbreaking projects with children, youth and seniors from underprivileged social backgrounds, or religious and ethnic minorities) will receive the jury's highest consideration. Please highlight this aspect in your application. Please provide a detailed description of your working experience, highlighting the ways in which your activity and leadership initiatives impacted the targeted community, strengthening its civic spirit and sense of unity. 2) Essay Please submit a short motivationalessay that will describe how your community work influenced your own personal growth and brought awarness to your bicultural and bilingual identity in the US. We strongly encourage applicants to model their essay from their college application essays, following a similar structure and attention to detail. The essay shall have no less than 200 words and no more than 650 words. 3) Recommendations from local community leadersYour essay and recommendations (up to 2) will play an important role in the evaluation process. A formal letter is not required, a name and contact info (email and/or phone number) will be sufficient. The contest organizers will reach out to confirm the recommendations. Romanian Heritage ConnectionApplicants of any cultural background may qualify, as long as they are able to prove their interest, work experience and connection to Romania. Examples of such proof: Passing an officially recognized Romanian language test – where availableAn essay in Romanian Volunteer work in Romania

Friends in Nature Romanian Summer Camp
2023-07-24 09:00 - 2023-07-28 15:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Our Romanian Language Immersion Summer Camp is back!
This is a great opportunity for kids to apply their language skills while having fun and making friends.
We welcome kids between the ages of 8 and 14 for an exciting and immersive week-long adventure! Our program will be tailored to the students’ language competence, but we ask that they have at least a novice-understanding of Romanian.
The daily schedules will include Romanian language lessons, activities and games, lunch break and playtime. Our programs will engage the students and encourage them to build on their knowledge of Romanian while using what they learn to navigate the natural world around them! The program will include several fieldtrips to the Washington Park Arboretum, which is within walking distance of our location. Between language classes and our local explorations kids will also learn about the natural world in Romania.
Register for the Summer Camp here.
Please fill out the registration form for each child.
Registration deadline – June 26
Who: kids ages 8-14
When: July 24-28
Where:

ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center
3201 E Republican St, Ste 104
Seattle, WA 98112
Washington Park Arboretum
2300 Arboretum Dr E
Seattle, WA 98112

Do you want to help? We are looking for volunteers who can assist us during the summer camp, either for the duration of the camp or just a couple of days.
If you want to volunteer, please fill out the form here.

Romanian Wine Tales
2023-09-29 18:30 - 21:00 UTC | ARCS Center at MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican St, Ste 104, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Join us for an Evening of Romanian Wine Tasting and Giving Teodora Bernadeta Baba, President and Owner of Teinnovadora, will takes us on a journey exploring a curated selection of fine Romanian wines. Indulge your senses at our exquisite wine tasting fundraiser, where every sip supports our ARCS mission to create social change through film, art, and education. You can win rare wines, books, dining experiences (a dinner for two at Pizzeria La Rocca in Seattle, which includes a house wine), handcrafted chocolates from The Nom Nom Stop in Lacey, and more. This event promises an enchanting evening of Romanian wine tales and a cultural experience. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Romanian Film Festival Seattle - 10th Edition!Register at the link below. *Must be 21 or over to attend. Romanian Wine TalesSeptember 29, 6:30pm3201 E Republican St, Ste 104Seattle, WA 98112 *Free parking on premises

Improve Your Writing, Reading and Speaking Skills, Part I
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2023-12-15 18:00 UTC | Online

Romanian Heroes (Ages 6-9)
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2023-12-15 18:00 UTC | Online

Romanian Pioneers (Ages 10-13)
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2023-12-15 18:00 UTC | Online

Romanian History: Part I
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2023-12-15 18:00 UTC | Online

Romanian History: Part II
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2023-12-15 18:00 UTC | Online

Romanian Culture and Civilisation Through Media (Intermediate/Advanced)
2023-10-02 10:00 - 2024-02-09 18:00 UTC | Online

Romanian Film Festival Seattle, 10th Edition
2023-11-04 - 2023-11-12 | SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
The Romanian Film Festival Seattle is excited to celebrate its 10th anniversary edition this year. Running Nov. 4-12, the festival will mark the return to SIFF Uptown Cinema Nov. 4-5 (its home until 2020), and will continue the following weekend at Northwest Film Forum. The online program will be available for the duration of the festival.
Started in 2014 with the scope of bringing Romanian cinema to audiences in Seattle, the festival has adapted and blossomed over the years. It soldiered through the pandemic, thanks to a loyal audience that followed it as it transformed to a virtual program. This year it continues to enjoy a hybrid format, with an online selection available in the continental US and in-person screenings at SIFF Cinema Uptown and Northwest Film Forum.
Through the years, each edition has brought thought-provoking and award-winning productions from Romania and Eastern Europe, giving a platform to upcoming and established directors alike.
This year’s theme “One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying” is a nod to its first edition in 2014 - the duality of the Romanian spirit that propels it forward in spite of constant hardships. The first year saw an overwhelming success following a grassroots effort to mobilize the Romanian community in the greater Seattle area.
This year’s nuanced edition celebrates the rich cultural fabric of Romania, while exploring current topics with the unflinchingly honest perspectives that fans of the festival have come to expect from Romanian cinema. The program will comprise of critically-acclaimed films and newly released films, and featuring special guests from Romania.
Daniel Ursache, the graphic artist behind the festival posters over the years, has once again turned his creative eye to reflect the unstopping energy of the festival.
Mark your calendars and let’s keep the story going!
If you have a business or reprezent an organization, please check out our sponsorship package and let us know if you would like to benefit from our advertising opportunities.
Festival Official Partners and Co-organizers: Festival Institutional Partners:
Supporting Sponsors:
Festival Ambassadors: FilmsFundraising CampaignThank you for your generosity! Our goal is to raise $20,000 to cover costs associated with programming, publicity, technical support and film distribution rights. We will keep the fundraising campaign open on our website and Facebook. Raised$19,949Goal$20,000

How much would you like to donate?(Required)

$25 Many ThanksWe will integrate a special thank you credit on our website.

$50 Festival FriendSpecial thank you credit on our website!

$100 Festival SupporterSpecial thank you credit on our website and free access to two films showing at the festival.

$250 Festival BenefactorSpecial thank you credit on our website and free access to four films showing at the festival.

$500 Festival AmbassadorSpecial thank you credit on our website and free access to eight films showing at the festival, thank you credit after the each film screening and special thank you credit on our website (with your company logo, if applicable).

$1,000 Supporting SponsorWe are offering up to three full festival passes, credit before the screenings, special thank you credit on our website with your logo and link to your website.

$5,000 Festival Official Partner and Co-OrganizerWe are offering up to five full festival passes, credit before the screenings, special thank you credit as a festival official partner and co-organizer on our website with your logo and link to your website.
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American Romanian Cultural Society1931 E Lynn StSeattle, WA 98112 TrailerBoss by Bogdan Mirică
2022, Thriller, 126 min(Romania, Luxembourg, Sweden)

Bogdan, an innocuous ambulance driver, becomes involved in an armed robbery to support his ailing mother's medical needs. While fleeing from the scene, he accidentally hits a witness, who ends...
Bogdan, an innocuous ambulance driver, becomes involved in an armed robbery to support his ailing mother's medical needs. While fleeing from the scene, he accidentally hits a witness, who ends up in a coma. As Bogdan's paranoia intensifies, he immerses himself further into the lives of his accomplices, while causing major problems in his own.
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TrailerBetween Revolutions by Vlad Petri
2023, Hybrid documentary, 70 min (Romania, Croatia, Qatar, Iran)

“Between Revolutions" illuminates the letters exchanged between Maria, a Romanian, and Zahra, an Iranian, who forge a deep connection while studying together at medical school in 1970s Bucharest. The letters...
“Between Revolutions" illuminates the letters exchanged between Maria, a Romanian, and Zahra, an Iranian, who forge a deep connection while studying together at medical school in 1970s Bucharest. The letters poignantly illustrate the challenges faced by everyday people, especially women, during the Iranian Revolution and Ceaucescu's repressive rule in Romania, juxtaposed with documentary footage portraying daily life and the widespread propaganda in their respective societies.
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TrailerPlayback by Iulia Rugină
2023, Documentary, 77 min (Romania)

In communist Romania of the 80s, DJs were the only ones who brought outside music to the people. Tracks were trafficked on vinyl or secretly recorded from foreign radio stations...
In communist Romania of the 80s, DJs were the only ones who brought outside music to the people. Tracks were trafficked on vinyl or secretly recorded from foreign radio stations and played to dancing crowds. Playback offers a present-day portrait of one of the most famous DJs of those times while recreating a selective chronology of the musical events that changed the face of a society to the democracy of today.
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TrailerTaxi Drivers by Bogdan Theodor Olteanu
2022, Dark comedy/drama, 106 min (Romania, Bulgaria)

Taxi Drivers Liviu and Lică navigate the nocturnal life of Bucharest, picking up passengers who turn to them for therapy, political discussions, assistance in criminal enterprises, and more. Each driver...
Taxi Drivers Liviu and Lică navigate the nocturnal life of Bucharest, picking up passengers who turn to them for therapy, political discussions, assistance in criminal enterprises, and more. Each driver must decide what's more important to him: the wild ride or their lives off the meter.
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TrailerMen of Deeds by Paul Negoescu
2022, Dark comedy/drama, 106 min (Romania, Bulgaria)

Ilie settles in the countryside as a policeman, seeking a more tranquil lifestyle. However, his relaxed approach to his job entangles him in a violent crime. When he finally starts...
Ilie settles in the countryside as a policeman, seeking a more tranquil lifestyle. However, his relaxed approach to his job entangles him in a violent crime. When he finally starts to become a justice seeker, he quickly learns the unbecoming consequences of getting involved in others’ affairs.
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TrailerWhy Do They Write On Walls? by Alin Boeru2023, Documentary, 85 min (Romania)
"Why Do They Write on the Walls?" delves into the history and ideology of Romanian street art and graffiti, interwoven with interviews of the country's most renowned street artists. Started...
"Why Do They Write on the Walls?" delves into the history and ideology of Romanian street art and graffiti, interwoven with interviews of the country's most renowned street artists. Started as an objective analysis of a counterculture, the film transforms into an intimate coming-of-age story of a young corporate employee who gets sucked into a world that is in total opposition to his own.
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TrailerE Pericoloso Sporgersi by Nae Caranfil
1993, Romantic comedy, 104 min(Romania)

Horațiu, an army recruit, is hot on the heels after Cristina, a senior in high school. She’s not necessarily against it, but only after a mandatory engagement, something he will...
Horațiu, an army recruit, is hot on the heels after Cristina, a senior in high school. She’s not necessarily against it, but only after a mandatory engagement, something he will soon give up on with the appearance in town of Dino, a second-rate actor, but reputed provincial Casanova.
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TrailerPhoenix Har/Jar by Cornel Mihalache
2022, Music documentary, 70 min (Romania)

"Phoenix. Har/Jar" reunites the members of the legendary rock band from the period before they left communist Romania in 1977, and highlights the important moments in the band's tumultuous chronology,...
"Phoenix. Har/Jar" reunites the members of the legendary rock band from the period before they left communist Romania in 1977, and highlights the important moments in the band's tumultuous chronology, from the first appearances in 1962 under the name "Sfinții" (the Saints) to the present day. The documentary presents, for the first time, the events that the musicians went through in the country, the relationship with the Securitate, the communist political police, their departure from Romania and the band's activity before and after the 1989 Revolution.
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TrailerThe Chalice. Of Sons and Daughters by Cătălina Tesăr and Dana Bunescu
2022, Documentary, 84 min(Romania)

The documentary follows Peli and Nina, a young Roma couple striving to conceive a son in order to comply with local custom. While they live under tremendous strain and keep...
The documentary follows Peli and Nina, a young Roma couple striving to conceive a son in order to comply with local custom. While they live under tremendous strain and keep taking fertility and ultrasound checks, their respective families are disputing their rights in the chalice pledged by Peli’s father to Nina’s family when they arranged the couple’s match. The intricacies of this marriage are teased out by Peli’s sister, Bara, who provides a gripping confession about the lived female condition in this community.
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Guests
Iulia RuginăIulia Rugină is a Bucharest based director and screenwriter. She has a BA and a MA degree in film and television directing at Bucharest’s National University of Theatre and Film (UNATC). In 2020 she completed a PhD on low budget cinema at the same university.

She has written and directed twelve shorts and three feature films, among which Stuck on Christmas (2010), Love Building (2013), Dying from a Wound of Love (2014), Breaking News (2016). In 2018 she made her theater debut with the multimedia show Neverland, which she wrote and directed. In 2020 she directed six of the eight episodes of the HBO Max series Ruxx.

Since 2099 she is also actively involved in cultural management (through Control N, the cultural NGO she has co-founded), and film education (through various projects she has participated in, as a film tutor), having worked with professional screenwriters, amateur filmmakers, children, ethnic minorities, inmates and drug addicts.

She taught screenwriting at the National University of Theater and Film in Bucharest for 10 years, before switching to script consultancy in national and international projects.

Iulian PostelnicuIulian Postelnicu graduated from the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest with a Bachelor's Degree in acting.

He played several supporting characters in films such as Domestic (2012), A Decent Man (2018), and One Floor Below (2015) for which he received a Gopo nomination as Best Supporting Character. In 2019 he played the character of Vali in Arrest, for which he won the Gopo Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

His more recent characters include Costin in Otto the Barbarian (2020), nominated for the Gopo Award as Best Supporting Character, Daniel in the HBO TV show Ruxx (2022), Sorin in the HBO TV show Spy/Master (2023), and Ilie in Men of Deeds (2022), for which he won the Best Performance Award at FIFF Namur, the Outstanding Individual Performance Award at FilmFestival Cottbus, and the Gopo Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

In addition to his acting career, Iulian Postelnicu worked as a writer for several Romanian TV shows like Mondenii, SRC, and Las Fierbinti. He co-wrote, together with Bogdan George Apetri, the screenplay for Unidentified (2020), for which they won the Gopo Award for Best Screenplay. Supporters
Private donors

Supporting sponsor · $1,000 and more

Mihai and Gabriela Aluaș

Ana and Radu Bacioiu

Cosmin and Elena Catrinescu

Festival ambassador · $500 and more

Dana and Catalin Cozmei

Gabriel and Teodora Ghizila

Andreea Larhs

Tracy Sharpe and Roxana Arama

Alexandrina Maicaneanu and Radu Simionescu

Mary Sherhart

Nick Voicu

Gabriel and Raluca Hera

NW Family Dental - Daciana Buse, DDS, MSD

Festival benefactor · $250 and more

Ioana and Doru Nica

Tudor and Otilia Baraboi

James Augerot and Ileana Marin

Allergy & Asthma Care of Manhattan, PLLC

Lavinia Serban

Marius and Alina Popa

Roxana Teodorescu

Claudiu and Dana Raileanu

Ramona and Marian Pungan

Cristi and Irina Salvan

Nicoleta and Andrei Zlati

Isabella Fu and Radu Palanca

Luana and Marian Stanescu

Festival supporter · $100 and more

Mihaela Giurca

Camelia and Ciprian Clinciu

Oana Stepan

Laura Romanschi

Cristina Houston

Smaranda Lieuallen

Corina Varlam

Michele Anciaux Aoki

Claudia Jensen

Cristian and Ana Maria Ilac

Catalin Alaci and Mirela Dinu

Ligia Cicos

George Roth

Monica Poinescu

Carmen and Bogdan Răutu

Elizabeta and Adrian Iliescu

Helene Kaplan

Carl Winter

Edward Blau

Lavinia Serban

NomNom Creative

Festival friend · $50 and more

Georgiana Lucache

Magda Nica

Sheila Speirs

George Strajan

Mihaela Armanasu

Special Thanks · $25 and more

Florina Gusu

Special thanks · $10 and more

Cristina Amaral

Tatiana Chihai

Anonymous

The Magic of Winter: The Romanian Madrigal Choir Jubilee Tour
2023-12-02 19:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
ARCS is a proud partner of the Madrigal Choir Jubilee Tour in Seattle! A decade-long wait is over: after 35 years, the famous National Chamber Choir “Madrigal - Marin Constantin”, Romania’s most internationally recognized musical ensemble, returns to United States for an anniversary tour celebrating the National Day of Romania with special recitals in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Seattle. More details about the tour: www.madrigaltour.com In Seattle, WA, the event will take place at the Town Hall Seattle on December 2, 2023 @ 7:30 PM (Address: 1119 8th Avenue (at Seneca Street) Seattle, WA 98101) The much-awaited comeback of one of the world's great choral ensembles will display all the Madrigal’s artistic prowess, evident in the expansive repertoire, the impeccable musical quality, and the spectacular stage presence. Anticipating the magic of winter festivities, the recitals will offer a carefully-crafted program, featuring Renaissance music, Romanian and international carols, and timeless choral compositions. Madrigal Choir’s American tour is organized by the Romanian Embassy to the U.S. together with the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York and with the generous support of the Romanian Ministry of Culture and several sponsors from Romania: Transylvania Bank, Vodafone, ING, UiPath and Fan Courier, and special community partner: American Romanian Cultural Society – ARCS. The event is free but registration is required. Register Here.

European Holiday Market
2023-12-09 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | WA
Join us December 9, 10am-2pm, at the European Holiday Market for festive food, merchandise, stories, and music. We look forward to representing Romania alongside Teinnovadora, importer of quality Romanian wines, and join other European communities. If you're looking for unique holiday gifts, you don't want to miss this! Learn more here. PROGRAM10:15 AM French and English Christmas Music presented by Ladies Musical Club of SeattleWith Dhanushi Wijeyakulasuriya, sopranoSusan Payne O'Brien, sopranoPeter Nelson-King, piano 11:15 AM Storytime in French with Sophie 11:45 AM Santa Claus' Visit & Gifts 12:30 PM Holiday Piano Music presented by Ladies Musical Club of SeattleWith Monica Kessler, piano Saturday, December 9 |10am-2pmCHAPEL OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTER4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Winter Semester Courses
2024-01-08 - 2024-03-22 | WA
