ARCS Project

Sasha Vlad - Surrealism: The Romanian Case of Gellu Naum
2016-02-24
Sasha Vlad, a translator of Gellu Naum’s work and a surrealist visual artist, talks about Naum’s life and work, within the frame of the surrealist movement.

ARCS at Balkan Night Northwest
2016-03-05 | Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, 98033, United States
Visit ARCS table at Balkan Night Northwest and craft your own martisoare.

ARCS Sponsors Romanian Films at SIFF
2016-05-24 16:30 - 18:00 UTC
ARCS Sponsors Romanian Films at SIFF
This year ARCS sponsors Illegitimate by Adrian Sitaru..

Second Generation Photo-Essay Award
2016-10-01 16:00 - 17:30 | Bellevue Library, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004, United States

Cântec de leagan
2016-10-08
O poveste despre Maria Tanase (Lullaby. A Story about Maria Tanase)

Iuliana Pana reads from Rigla de Aur
2016-10-11
Iulia Pană has a free reading and book signing event for her latest poetry volume Rigla de Aer. Reading will be in Romanian.

Iuliana Pana reads from Ebony Bones
2016-10-12
Iulia Pană has a free reading and book signing event for her latest poetry volume Ebony Bones. Reading will be in English.

Meet Author Carmen Francesca Banciu
2016-10-29 15:00 - 17:00 | Suzzallo and Allen Libraries, 4000 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
ARCS is proud to host renowned author Carmen-Francesca Banciu, who is visiting Seattle to promote the recent publication of the English translation of “Mother’s Day: Song of a Sad Mother” and “Berlin is My Paris”.
Carmen-Francesca’s novels are semi-autobiographical narratives about living in and leaving Romania. Part “Bildungsroman” and part autobiographical memoir, “Mother’s Day” explores mother-daughter relations under the communist dictatorship in Romania and sparks dynamic questions about Eastern Europe, work, the woman artist, and women’s relationships with one another. “Berlin is My Paris” describes the experiences of the immigrant artist grappling with a new language, culture, and writer’s block following the fall of Communism.

Romanian Film Festival - 3rd Edition
2016-11-18 - 2016-11-20
The Romanian Film Festival Seattle, "One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying: [be]longing", 3rd EditionFilmsDogs by Bogdan Mirică2016, Thriller, 104 minutes
Roman returns to the land he has just inherited from his grandfather. Fully decided to sell this vast but desolate property, he is warned by the local cop that his...
Roman returns to the land he has just inherited from his grandfather. Fully decided to sell this vast but desolate property, he is warned by the local cop that his grandfather was a local crime lord and his men will not let go of the land..
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By The Railsby Cătălin Mitulescu2016, Drama, 88 minutes
Radu has come back from Italy after an year and finds his wife totally changed. They spend the night trying to rediscover their selves. The distance has created distrust and...
Radu has come back from Italy after an year and finds his wife totally changed. They spend the night trying to rediscover their selves. The distance has created distrust and confusion between them but Radu hopes for a new beginning. Music resounds beyond the railroad. The night was never that long.
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Silent Weddingby Horațiu Mălăele2008, Comedy, 87 minutes
In a small isolated village, in 1953, a wedding is interrupted by the news about the death of Stalin. Because any public celebration is forbidden, they decide to turn the...
In a small isolated village, in 1953, a wedding is interrupted by the news about the death of Stalin. Because any public celebration is forbidden, they decide to turn the happy event into a silent wedding. Q&A with director Horațiu Mălăele
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Why Me?by Tudor Giurgiu2015, Drama, 125 minutes
Cristian, a young idealistic prosecutor whose career is on the rise, tries to crack a case against a senior colleague accused of corruption. The dilemma of choosing between his career...
Cristian, a young idealistic prosecutor whose career is on the rise, tries to crack a case against a senior colleague accused of corruption. The dilemma of choosing between his career and the truth weighs heavily on his shoulders. Looking further to solve the case, he enters a danger zone paved with unexpected and painful revelations. Q&A with director Tudor Giurgiu
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Aliyah Dada by Oana Giurgiu2015, Documentary, 115 minutes
A documentary about the Jewish people in Romania and their several migrations towards Israel, across history and changing political frames - everything presented in a self-proclaimed dadaist style.Q&A with director...
A documentary about the Jewish people in Romania and their several migrations towards Israel, across history and changing political frames - everything presented in a self-proclaimed dadaist style. Q&A with director Oana Giurgiu
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Happy Funeralsby Horațiu Mălăele2013, Comedy, 111 minutes
It's about three lifelong friends. One evening, all three of them go to a fortune teller and are told that they will die in a week, on a specific day...
It's about three lifelong friends. One evening, all three of them go to a fortune teller and are told that they will die in a week, on a specific day and in a certain way. Q&A with director Horațiu Mălăele
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Mercy Streetby Ștefan Buzea, Alexandru Buzea2016, Animation, 74 minutes The day when music stops. First stereoscopic 3D animation feature film ever made in Romania. GuestsHorațiu MălăeleFamous Romanian actor, director and cartoonist, Horațiu Mălăele, was born in 1952, in Targu Jiu. He had his first art exhibit in 12th grade. In 1975, he graduated from the Institute of Theater and Cinema in Bucharest. He began his professional acting career on the stage of the National Theater in Piatra Neamt. He then moved to Bucharest and has performed at legendary theaters such as the Nottara, Odeon, Bulandra, etc., where he has had many roles of great success. He started his career as a theater director with shows such as a Princely Feast by Theodor Mazilu, The Flea by Georges Faydeau, or Carlo against Carlo by Paul Ioachim, for which he won the Romanian Comedy Festival Prize, in 1994. He made his cinema debut in 1974, in The Hidden Mountain. He also directed movies such as The Hat(2004), Silent Wedding (2008) and Happy Funerals (2013). He had over 30 art exhibits and published an autobiographical book called Horatiu about Malaele, as well as Wanderings, a collection of short episodes, aphorisms, and memories. Tudor GiurgiuMember of the European Film Academy, Tudor Giurgiu is the founder and President of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF), the most prestigious film-related event in Romania. His directorial debut feature Love Sick was selected in Panorama section of 2006 Berlinale and awarded in several int’l festivals. His short Superman, Spiderman or Batman (2011) won Best European Short at the 2012 edition of European Film Academy Awards. Tudor’s 2nd feature, Of Snails and Men, was awarded in Warsaw IFF and Valladolid IFF. Why Me?, an unsettling legal thriller based on a real case of corruption in present-day Romania, premiered in 2015 Berlinale Panorama. His most recent films are Libertate / Freedom (2023), a story inspired by real events that happened during the Romanian Revolution and Nasty (2024), a documentary about the Romanian tennis legend Ilie Năstase co-directed alongside Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu, which premiered as a Special Screening at Festival de Cannes in 2024. Oana GiurgiuA law and journalism graduate, Oana Giurgiu directed television documentaries before working in film on Cristi Puiu’s 2005 Cannes Un certain regard winner, “The Death of Mr Lăzărescu” and then on Kornél Mundruczó’s 2008 Cannes FIPRESCI winner, “Delta”.

She produced three of Tudor Giurgiu’s films: “Love Sick” (Berlinale 2006, Panorama); the 2012 Romanian box office hit “Of Snails and Men” (Warsaw IFF); and “Why Me?” (Berlinale 2015, Panorama). She also produced Peter Strickland’s “Katalin Varga” (Berlinale 2009, Silver Bear, European Discovery of the year at European Film Academy Awards) and Cristi Puiu’s “Sieranevada” (Cannes 2016). Oana co-produced Hungarian titles “Eden”, dir. Agnes Kocsis (Rotterdam IFF 2020) and “Spiral” (in post-production), dir. Cecilia Felmeri and the Slovak “The Servants”, dir. Ivan Ostrochovsky (Berlinale 2020, Encounters), and the Turkish “Before two Dawns” (in post-production), dir. Selman Nacar (working progress awards at Meetings on the bridge, Istanbul IFF 2020, and Antalia 2019), produced the greatest Romanian box office hit in recent years, “Moromete Family: On the Edge of Time”, which received ten Gopo Awards in 2019.

After working on several television documentary productions, she made her directorial debut with a feature-length historical documentary, “Aliyah DaDa”, screened in Astra Sibiu, Jerusalem Jewish IFF, alongside other Jewish festivals and screenings worldwide, and recognized as Best Romanian Documentary at the Gopo Awards 2015, now she just launched her new documentary “Occasional Spies”, Special mention of the Jury at Astra Film Festival 2021. Monica FilimonMonica Filimon was awarded a PhD in Comparative Literature by Rutgers University. She is Associate Professor of English at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY. She has published articles on French, German, and Romanian films. Her research focuses on the New Romanian Cinema, its sources, evolution, and major representatives. Her first book Cristi Puiu: Ineffable Experiences of the Profane World was published by the University of Illinois Press in February 2017. She is currently working on a second book tentatively titled Corneliu Porumboiu: Notes on the Absurd.

I'm A Blind Man/Sunt Un Orb
2016-11-21 19:00 - 21:00
Born out of the artist’s need and desire to share his favorite poems with his public, in his original interpretation, the show will add new layers of meaning to well-known Romanian texts from Nichita Stanescu, Emil Brumaru, George Toparceanu, Marin Sorescu, Spiridon Popescu or Adrian Paunescu. Alongside poetry, the artist will sprinkle his performance with music, theater and lots of improvisation.We invite you to experience a powerful performance full of subtleties, love, humor, contradictory feelings, hope and laughter. It is a show that, as the artist confesses, “is not only about me, but it’s about you, too.” This performance will be in Romanian.

Of Snails and Men - A Film by Tudor Giurgiu
2017-03-17 19:00 - 21:00 | ALK Asphalt, 12630 N 103rd Ave, Sun City, AZ, 85351, United States
Screening by the Alliance Française de Seattle as part of series of events celebrating unique Francophone cultures.
Join us on Friday, March 17, 7-9 PM, for the second film of the francophone series, Of Snails and Men (2012), a comedy by Tudor Giurgiu, with Andi Vasluianu, Monica Bârlădeanu, and Dorel Vișan. Selected by the American Romanian Cultural Society.
Screening at l’Alliance Française de Seattle, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, #204(the Good Shepherd Center), Seattle, WA 98103. Subtitles in English.
RSVP required to attend.
Doors open 6:45 PM
This event is free for AFSeattle members. There is a $5 suggested donation for non-members.
Light refreshments served.

Comedia Remix
2017-03-25
Legendary actor George Mihăiță, together with theater critic and curator Cristina Modreanu, are coming to Seattle to present a documentary about the Golden Age of Romanian theater.

Club Piticot
2017-04-09
Club Piticot invites all children of Romanian heritage at a creative workshop where they learn about Romanian Easter traditions and prepare for the arrival of the beloved Easter Bunny: In asteptarea Iepurasului. We are waiting for you, your friends and family on April 9 between 4-6pm at Laurel Park Condominium 11200 NE 68TH St, Kirkland, WA 98033. (recommended for children between 3-12 years) The event will be mainly in Romanian. See you there!

Dinu Lipatti 100th Anniversary Concert
2017-04-27 | Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, 98033, United States
Alexandru Tomescu (violin) and Angela Draghicescu (piano), pay tribute to the birth centennial of the legendary pianist, in a concert featuring exquisite chamber works of Lipatti and other composers.

ARCS Sponsors Romanian Films at SIFF
2017-05-27
ARCS Sponsors Romanian Films at SIFF
This year ARCS sponsored the screening of Adrian Sitaru’s Fixeur (The Fixer).

Ion Creanga and His Literary Characters
2017-06-03
Illustrations by Ary Murnu and Puppet Theater A 2-Day Celebration of International Children's Day.

Special Exhibit: Romanian Identity, Royalty and Architecture
2017-09-27 10:00 - 2017-11-27 17:00
Free Opening Night Reception: Thursday, October 5, 5:30 PM
The exhibit “Romanian Identity, Royalty and Architecture” offers a chronological survey of Romanian architecture from 1870s to 1948 with a focus on the Royalties’ contribution to the modernization of the country and creation of a national style. The edifices built during the reign of Carol I present both a young country’s desire to become visible internationally and the dynasty founder’s ambition to update Romanian architecture to European traditions. It was at the beginning of the 20th century that the capital Bucharest was called “The Little Paris”, due to the French influence. After WWI, King Ferdinand and Queen Mary sponsored the implementation of the national style in their effort to put Romania on the map of the world. The exhibit identifies Queen Mary’s contribution to Romanian architecture landmarks, including her beloved Balchik Palace. The modern style developed during Carol II and continued by his son Michael round up the exhibit that is authored by three major architecture professors: Augustin Ioan, Marius Marcu Lapadat, and Ionel Stoicescu, in collaboration with CREART, Bucharest.
American Romanian Cultural Society is putting on this exhibit in collaboration with the UW Ellison Center for Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies.

Club Piticot Storytime
2017-10-14
Free Kids ages 3-13 Elizabeta Iliescu hosts storytime at the Bellevue Library for children ages 3-13. Club Piticot supports children and their families in developing communication skills in Romanian while also preserving cultural heritage. October features Halloween-themed games and stories including George Topârceanu’s “Ballad of a Tiny Cricket” and Adina Rosetti’s “Why do Witches Fly on a Broom and 10 Other Fantastic Questions.” Event in Romanian.

Lucian Ban & Elevation: Songs From Afar
2017-11-10 | Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, 98033, United States
“Songs from Afar”(in collaboration with Earshot Jazz), a unique concert that will bring together 12 musicians from Romania, New York, and Seattle, with rich and diverse musical backgrounds.
Celebrating the music of Romania this concert event is an amalgamation of Transylvanian folk with jazz and improvisation. Featuring Lucian Ban’s ELEVATION Quartet; master saxophonist Abraham Burton; Transylvanian singer Gavril Tărmure; and the Angela Drăghicescu Ensemble paying tribute to famed composer George Enescu with a new arrangement of the Romanian Rhapsody.
This event sets off the 4th Edition of the Romanian Film Festival: “One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying: TALES FROM AFAR”, celebrating the connection between cinema, music and the other arts.

Book Signing and Romanian Film Event - Cristi Puiu by Monica Filimon
2017-11-16 | University of Washington, 1410 NE Campus Pkwy, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
New York-based film critic and professor Monica Filimon will sign copies of her new book Cristi Puiu (University of Illinois Press 2017) and deliver a talk about the beginnings of New Romanian cinema with a specific focus on the black comedy The Death of Mr. Lazarescu. In Cristi Puiu, Filimon explores the works of an artist dedicated to truth not as an abstract concept, but as the ephemeral revelation of the fuller ungraspable world beyond the screen. (Event in English) Monica FilimonMonica Filimon was awarded a PhD in Comparative Literature by Rutgers University. She is Associate Professor of English at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY. She has published articles on French, German, and Romanian films. Her research focuses on the New Romanian Cinema, its sources, evolution, and major representatives. Her first book Cristi Puiu: Ineffable Experiences of the Profane World was published by the University of Illinois Press in February 2017. She is currently working on a second book tentatively titled Corneliu Porumboiu: Notes on the Absurd.

Romanian Film Festival - 4th Edition
2017-11-27 | SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
The Romanian Film Festival in Seattle "One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying: Tales from Afar", 4th EditionWe are thrilled to present our special guests at the 4th edition of the Romanian Film Festival! Director Paul Negoescu (Two Lottery Tickets, director Iulia Rugina (Breaking News), actress Ioana Flora (Breaking News & Back Home) from Romania; director Bogdan Darev (This Baba), singer Penka Encheva and producer Mary Sherhart from Seattle, will attend Q&A sessions after the screenings, moderated by film critic and author Monica Filimon ("Cristi Puiu", University of Illinois Press 2017). Pre-Event: Cântece de departe/Songs from Afar, a concert that brings together Lucian Ban & Elevation Quartet from New York (jazz), Angela Drăghicescu (chamber music pianist from Seattle), and Gavril Țărmure (singer of Romanian Folk music from Bistrița) @ Seattle Art Museum on November 10, 7:30 PM. FilmsTwo Lottery Tickets by Paul Negoescu2016, Comedy, 86 minutes
Three men from a provincial town are in urgent need of money and decide to buy a lottery ticket. They win the lottery, but soon after their ticket gets stolen.Q&A...
Three men from a provincial town are in urgent need of money and decide to buy a lottery ticket. They win the lottery, but soon after their ticket gets stolen. Q&A with director Paul Negoescu
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Sieranevadaby Cristi Puiu2016, Drama, 173 minutes
A doctor and his wife are having a family meal in Bucharest to mark the passing of his father when an argument about 9/11 breaks out and deteriorates into a...
A doctor and his wife are having a family meal in Bucharest to mark the passing of his father when an argument about 9/11 breaks out and deteriorates into a settling of personal scores.
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Breaking Newsby Iulia Rugină2017, Drama, 81 minutes
While working on an in memoriam piece for a dead colleague, a famous news reporter loses track of the TV story and becomes part of a father-daughter relationship with the...
While working on an in memoriam piece for a dead colleague, a famous news reporter loses track of the TV story and becomes part of a father-daughter relationship with the teenager left behind. Q&A with director Iulia Rugină and actress Ioana Flora
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Scarred Heartsby Radu Jude2016, Drama, 141 minutes
Emanuel spends his days at a sanatorium. Falling in love with another patient, he narrates his and his fellow patients' attempts to live life to the fullest as their bodies...
Emanuel spends his days at a sanatorium. Falling in love with another patient, he narrates his and his fellow patients' attempts to live life to the fullest as their bodies slowly fade away, but their minds refuse to give up.
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Back Homeby Andrei Kohn2015, Drama, 91 minutes
Robert is a young journalist passing through a difficult period in his life. He returns to his native village for a day. One day to meet with his father, with...
Robert is a young journalist passing through a difficult period in his life. He returns to his native village for a day. One day to meet with his father, with whom he has had a difficult relationship, and with two former classmates: Petrică - his old best friend, now married with children - and Paula, his teenage sweetheart. The time has come for Robert to change his destiny. Q&A with actress Ioana Flora
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This Bababy Bogdan Darev2014, Documentary, 31 minutes This Baba is the story of Bulgarian Voices singer Penka Encheva, who was an extraordinary traditional singer as a young woman in her native country of Bulgaria. The Rest is Silenceby Nae Caranfil2007, Drama, 114 minutes
In 1911-12, the Romanian movie director Grigore Brezianu and the financial tycoon Leon Popescu made together the 2 hours long movie "Romania's Independence" - an as faithful as possible screen...
In 1911-12, the Romanian movie director Grigore Brezianu and the financial tycoon Leon Popescu made together the 2 hours long movie "Romania's Independence" - an as faithful as possible screen adaptation of the real Independence War that had been fought in 1877. Now, "Restul e tăcere" tells us, in a loose and half-fictionalized way, the story of this movie making.
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The New Gypsy Kingsby Liviu Tipuriță2016, Documentary, 59 minutes A look inside the world of Romania's super-rich Gypsy pop stars: a world of fast cars, lavish houses, and gangsters. GuestsPaul NegoescuBorn in 1984, Paul Negoescu studied film directing at the national film school in Bucharest. His short films were selected in many international festivals (Semaine de la Critique, Berlinale). His debut film, "A month in Thailand", premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2012, while his second feature, "Two Lottery Tickets", became one of the most successful Romanian films at the box office. "The Story of a Summer Lover", his 3rd feature, was distributed by Netflix in over 30 territories. 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.

Ioana FloraOne of the most appreciated Romanian actresses, appearing in films, television, on stage, also having been awarded for many roles. Being a mother of two, Ioana has been actively involved in children’s performances, personal development workshops for both children and adults and training programs in film and theatre. Person not found Mary SherhartMary Sherhart is a Seattle-based musician who specializes in traditional singing from the Balkans. She is a performer, teacher, choir director, producer, board member and student.

Ciprian Popescu - Meet the Author
2017-12-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Bellevue Library, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004, United States
Ciprian Popescu, Romanian-language author based in Montreal, will read from his awarded debut Mile End (2016, Max Blecher Publishing House Romania). The book is a construction of 77 days about the new life as immigrant in Canada and the memory of the motherland. A previous text, Revolutia din departare/ The Revolution from Afar (2011, Curtea Veche, ed.C.Hermeziu), will also be discussed with former colleague in Romania and neighbor in Montreal, ARCS member Alexandra Dorca. The author will sign books following the talk. (Event is free In Romanian)

Romanian Films at SIFF 2018, sponsored by ARCS
2018-05-03 - 2018-06-10 | SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
Thank you all for attending!

Club Piticot
2018-06-02 | Redmond Library, 15990 NE 85th St, Redmond, WA, 98052, United States
Free Kids ages 3-13 Let’s get together to celebrate International Children’s Day! Event in Romanian.

Documentary screening and celebration
2018-08-05 14:00 - 16:00 | St. John the Baptist Romanian Orthodox Church, 3749 W Behrend Dr, Glendale, AZ, 85308, United States
You are warmly invited to the final screening of the documentary “Romanian in Seattle”, filmed during ARCS Summer Camp (July 23-Aug 4) with director Iulia Rugină and actress Ioana Flora.

Evaluation Day "Româna la Liceu"
2018-09-15 - 2018-10-01 | University of Washington, 1410 NE Campus Pkwy, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
The exact location will be anounced at a later date.

Romanian Cultural Festival
2018-09-22 10:00 - 17:00 | Maryhill Museum of Art
Romanian Cultural Festival – September 22 @Maryhill Museum of Art from ARCS Project on Vimeo.
Romanian Cultural Festival
ARCS invites you to a unique event, dedicated to Romania’s centennial anniversary, celebrating the Great Union of 1918, when the province of Transylvania joined Bessarabia and Bukovina to form the Romanian Kingdom. Romanians from Washington and Oregon States will commemorate key historical events that reshaped Romanian identity, focusing on Queen Marie’s contribution to the outcome of World War I and the ensuing period of unequalled cultural effervescence in the region. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore Romanian identity through space and time, connecting two historical periods: the present and The Interbellum (inter-war) years, associated with the birth of the modern state of Romania.
Visitors will enjoy an all day feast of events, such as the exhibition Romanian Identity, Royalty and Architecture and two book launches: the bilingual English/Romanian photo album, “The Queen and the Front” (2018) coordinated by Beatrice Todireanu and Anca Mizumschi’s essay collection “My Suspended Land” (2018). Folk dance and music performances by local groups and the Romanian Folkloric Ensemble Datina from Seattle, with sample traditional Romanian fare and hands-on art for children will be offered as well.
More details: https://www.maryhillmuseum.org
Sponsors and Partners:
Maryhill Museum of Art
American Romanian Cultural Society
The Romanian Cultural Institute in New York
The Romanian Folkloric Ensemble Datina from Seattle
The Northwest Romanian Community
The Romanian American Society
Cultural Romania Association

Inauguration of the Romanian Center of Excellence ROACT (Romanian In Action)
2018-10-01
Location to be determined

Romanian Film Festival - 5th Edition
2018-11-02 18:00 - 2018-11-04 18:00 | SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
The Romanian Film Festival (5th Edition): "One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying: Uncanny Worlds"November 2-4, 2018, SIFF Cinema UptownJoin us on an exploration of the blurred frontiers of reality through Romanian films, celebrating the 5th Edition of the Romanian Film Festival in Seattle. In tune with the Halloween spirit of the first week in November, take an imaginary journey to Romania, and its "Uncanny Worlds". We plan to challenge values and beliefs in relation to the unusual, unfamiliar, ineffable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, inscrutable, or the unclear, inviting you to a visual feast of mesmerizing film features and documentaries. You will find out that Romanian films, more than ever, reflect the uncanny aspects of reality, history, politics, everyday life, as well as spirituality, folklore, and traditions; in a word, the uncanny essence of human nature. We have made history together: from one of the smallest venues in town with 93 seats (in 2014), we have upgraded the festival to the largest auditoriums @ SIFF CINEMA Uptown with 275 seats (between 2015-2017). From about 750 people attending the first edition, last year we reached a record of approximately 2,300 people, including those who attended the pre and post events. From an ethnic film festival, we have succeeded in making it a Seattle festival where people of all backgrounds watch internationally acclaimed films, learn something about Romanian heritage, and laugh and cry together proving that the festival has earned its title "One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying". Let us know if you would like to become our business partner ($1,000 +) or sponsor ($500+). In case you decide to support our beautiful project and fundraising endeavors, ARCS will acknowledge your contribution on all promotional materials – website, Facebook, poster, flyers, and before each screening. DO NOT MISS this one of a kind opportunity to gain more visibility, grow, have an impact, and let your community know that you care and belong! All screenings will take place @ SIFF Cinema Uptown. The Opening Gala will take place at SIFF Film Center. Daniel Ursache's Exhibit will be @ A/NT Gallery. Please consult the map for more details. FilmsThe Wanderers, The Quest of the Demon Hunter by Dragoș Buliga2017, Drama/Horror/Thriller, 106 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown SynopsisThe film follows famed ghost and demon hunter Louis (Armand Assante) as he takes on a new case in modern day Romania. Hired by the mysterious heiress of the Zalesky Castle, the hardened American embarks on this adventure with an Israeli journalist (Lior Ashkenazi), two Korean reality television stars in search of sensational ghost stories, and a young, skeptical guide Sorana (Raluca Aprodu). As he starts hunting the evil lurking in plain daylight in the frightened community around the Transylvanian castle, Louis faces one of the biggest challenges of his career and life. Untamed Romania by Tom Barton-Humphreys2018, documentary, 90 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown Synopsis"Untamed Romania" explores "one of the wildest and most beautiful parts of Europe", from the mysterious Danube Delta to the unknown Carpathian forests. Wolves, bears, and lynx roam the vast forests where almost all the original flora and fauna still exist left untouched since time immemorial. There is no other location of comparable size with such pristine nature in Europe. This unique documentary is narrated by award-winning Romanian film and stage actor Victor Rebengiuc. The Miracle of Tekir by Ruxandra Zenide2015, Mystery/Drama, 90 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown SynopsisUnmarried Mara has mysteriously fallen pregnant. This poses a problem for her fellow residents of the small fishing village on the Danube delta, where Europe's second longest river enters the Black Sea, and religion mixes with superstition like earth with water. Expelled from her village, Mara finds employment at the nearby spa hotel Tekir where infertile women are treated with the sacred Danube mud. When her world collides with that of the well-to-do, eccentric cosmopolitan Lili, magic combines with power and tradition with modernity to become the answer to Lili's desire to have children – and Mara's "immaculate" conception. The Treasure by Corneliu Porumboiu2015, comedy, 89 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown SynopsisCosti leads a peaceful life. At night he likes to read stories to his 6-year-old son to help him sleep. Their favorite is Robin Hood, and Costi sees himself as a similar hero - righter of wrongs and defender of the oppressed. One evening, his neighbor Negoescu pays him an unexpected visit and shares a secret. He suspects that his great-grandfather buried a treasure in his garden at the time of the Communist takeover in the 1940s. If Costi hires a metal detector to help locate the treasure, he will give him half of whatever they get. The two accomplices have one weekend to locate the loot and many obstacles in their path. With each layer of soil they unearth, memories of the past and entire chapters of Romanian history come to light. Porumboiu’s film adds intricate touches of the uncanny to everyday life, prompting us to question what unfathomable treasure we are hunting ourselves. Winner of A Certain Regard the 2015 International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize at Cannes. One Step behind the Seraphim by Daniel Sandu2017, drama, 150 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown SynopsisThe feature tells the story of Gabriel (Stefan Iancu), a teenager who wants to be a priest and has been recently admitted to a theological seminary. Trying to fit in first, he is fast to discover a world of fear and abuse. Lying, cheating and betraying are things the freshmen have to master in order to survive their seniors’ constant bullying and the game of power and manipulation fed by a tough teacher (remarkably played by Vlad Ivanov). This caustic coming of age movie calls to mind boarding-school-set movies where oppression and brutality are widespread. After having taken 10 years to film, "One Step behind the Seraphim" swept Romania’s Gopo Awards in 2018. It won 8 statuettes, including the most important trophies: Best Film, Best Film Director, Best Script, Best Debut Feature, Best Leading Actor, Best Picture and Young Hope, together with the Award of the Romanian Society of Cinematographers. It also received the Audience Award at Transylvania Film Festival. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with special guest Daniel Sandu. There by Bogdan Darev2018, documentary, 90 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown Synopsis In 1995, Seattle-based director and storyteller Bogdan was a teenager. He is now forty-one. After 23 years as an immigrant in the US, Bogdan comes back to Bulgaria for the first time. Who will he meet and where will his memories take him? Is his feeling truth, or is it just nostalgia? This screening will be followed by a Q&A with special guest Bogdan. Miss Christina by Alexandru Mafte2013, Mystery/Gothic Horror, 101 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown Synopsis"Miss Christina" is the dramatization of a 1936 novella written by the famous Romanian author and historian of religions, Mircea Eliade. Considered the first Romanian title of the Gothic genre, the film brings its distinct supernatural touch, being deeply rooted in East-European folklore and pagan mythology. It tells the love story between a human and the vampire-like character of a gorgeous young woman who died a violent death in the bloody peasant revolts in Romania in 1907. Known in Romanian as a moroior a strigoi, Miss Christina comes back from the grave to seduce her niece's fiancé, Egor (played by Tudor Istodor), during his first visit to the countryside family mansion. The lady of the house (played by Maia Morgenstern) worships her dead sister’s memory, even to the detriment of her own daughter's sanity and safety. When Egor realizes that his fiancée's life is endangered by his unexplainable lust for Miss Christina, he decides to fight the moroi. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with special guest Maia Morgenstern. Planeta Petrila by Andrei Dăscălescu2016, documentary, 80 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown SynopsisAs miners in the Romanian town of Petrila go down the mine for the last time, artist and ex-miner Ion Barbu is working on his mission: preserving Petrila's coal mine as cultural heritage. But in accordance with EU agreements on the closure of the mine, the authorities are committed to demolishing it completely. This would bring an abrupt end to a history with which the mining community still feels a deep affinity, but one that doesn't appear to interest the politicians in the slightest. Barbu refuses to back down, doing all he can to keep the memories of the mine and the identity of his hometown alive. He covers the mine buildings in murals and organizes performances, street protests, an underground theatre festival and a clandestine film. His resolve is a match for that of his opponents, and his art, which samples freely from art history, is charged with an absurdism well suited to the situation. Nonetheless, his actions prove to be more than just a frivolous protest; they become a channel for the collective mourning of a redundant industry. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with special guest Andrei Dăscălescu. D_love by Elena Beuca2018, comedy/drama, 96 minutesWhenNov. 2, 2018 at 06:00 PM - 04 Nov. 2018 at 06:00 PM WhereSIFF Cinema Uptown SynopsisA couple with longstanding marital issues lands at LAX after a getaway in Europe. For a few years now, Stefania has been working a job she detests and Dan hasn't worked at all. Their palpable strain is only made worse when a Danish vagabond asks for a ride to the busiest freeway in Los Angeles. Stefania doesn’t want to have anything to do with the hippie looking wanderer, but her husband Dan, much to his wife's horror, offers to bring this total stranger to their home. How will their encounter with this uncanny character affect their marriage? The director invites you on a 3 day journey, seen through Stefania’s eyes, to view and discover that desired change doesn’t always come in the package that we want or expect. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with special guest Elena Beuca. Guests
Maia MorgensternLegendary Maia Morgenstern has often been described as the "symbol of Romanian theater and film" (Florin Mitu, AMOS News). Born in a Jewish family in Bucharest, she studied at the Film and Theatre Academy and went on to become a member of the repertory companies of three prominent Romanian theater organizations — the Piatra Neamț National Theatre (1985 – 1988), the State Jewish Theatre (1988 – present) and the National Theatre (1990 – present). She made her film debut in 1983 with Too Hot for May/ Prea cald pentru luna mai. Since then she has appeared in dozens of Romanian feature films, as well as several international productions, including the English-language Nostradamus (1994), starring F. Murray Abraham and Tchéky Karyo; the Hungarian-language Siódmy pokój (1995) , the English/Greek language Ulysses’ Gaze (1995), in which she co-starred with Harvey Keitel, and the French language feature Marie, Nonna, la vierge et moi (2000). Morgenstern also took on a role in the USA Network TV movie Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula (2000). She is probably best known for the role of Mary, mother of Jesus, in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ(2004). She performed her role in Aramaic, but unlike the other actors in the cast of the film, she simply memorized her lines phonetically. In Romania, she has been nationally known since her 1992 role as Nela in Lucian Pintilie’s Balanța/ The Oak, set during the waning days of Communist Romania.

Daniel SanduI was born in Piatra-Neamț, in 1977. I've always loved watching movies. During communism, thanks to my parents, I saw many American movies on videotapes. In high school, I thought I wanted to become a priest, so I entered the theological seminary. There I discovered that I actually wanted to work in the world of film. I studied film at Media University. After I got my license, I worked in television as a screenwriter and director of sitcoms. In 2009, due to the economic crisis, the sitcoms abruptly ceased to be produced. In fact, all TV features stopped. So I started making short films, with the little money I had. My friends also helped me out. I started getting a few awards at film festivals which gave me more courage to work on my first feature film - One Step Behind the Seraphim (2017). It took me about 10 years to finish, from the moment I had a deal with the producer, until the day the film was released. In the meantime, among other things, I had written the script of my new film – The Father Who Moves Mountains - a film that I made in about 6 years, produced by Cristian Mungiu (Mobra Films). During this time, I worked on my other future projects.

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.

Elena BeucaElena Beuca grew up in a small farm town in Transylvania, Romania. After graduating from Law School in Bucharest and working in real estate for a few years, she became interested in the entertainment industry and decided to move to Hollywood. Elena studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She studied with Ivanna Chubuck, the famous acting coach for Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt. She has appeared in the HBO comedy series "Enlightened", the Fox Network action drama "Gang Related" and Nickelodeon's "Victorious". Elena has always loved a good challenge, so when a friend introduced her to the 168-film festival (making a short film in a week ) she decided to jump in and direct her first short film. She loved it so much, that she decided to do it again and again and again.. D-love is her first feature film. She is currently working on another feature film that will be shot in the fall in South Carolina.

Vivian HuaVivian Hua (華婷婷) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer who is fascinated by synthesizing divergent schools of thought. She is the Executive Director at Northwest Film Forum, a co-founder of the civil rights film series, The Seventh Art Stand, and Editor-in-Chief of the socially-conscious long-form arts publication, REDEFINE. Much of her work unifies her interest in the metaphysical with her belief that art can positively transform the self and society.

Maryna AjajaProgrammer/selector since 1997 for SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival), a twenty-five day film festival of over 400 films, that includes features, documentaries, archival films, animation, experimental, short films, and film forums. Ajaja is a writer and a poet and specializes in films from Eastern/Central European, Russia, Baltics, Central asia, and Caucuses. Born in Hollywood, she makes her home in Seattle, Washington since 1969.

Daniel UrsacheDaniel Ursache is an illustrator, painter, print-maker and graphic designer. He was born in Romania, in Turnu Severin, a Romanian city on the northern bank of the Danube. He was raised in Constanta, ancient Greek and then Roman colony on the Black Sea coast, explored geology in Iasi, the former capital of the Moldavian kingdom and studied fine arts in Timisoara, briefly the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 2004 he got stranded on the island of Montreal, in the middle of St. Lawrence river and did his post-graduate studies there. He has exhibited his work in Canada, Romania, Poland, Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany and Italy.

Uncanny Figments: Art Exhibit by Daniel Ursache
2018-11-03 20:00 - 22:00 | A/NT Gallery
For the celebration of the Romanian Film Festival in Seattle (5th edition), we are thrilled to share the work of an outstanding guest and artist, Daniel Ursache. Daniel has designed all our festival posters since the first edition and many other visual materials that have enchanted our audience. His exhibition, Uncanny Figments, will be hosted by A/NT Gallery throughout November. The Opening and Visiting the Exhibit are FREE of charge.

A/NT Gallery
November 3, 8pm
305 Harrison St,
Seattle, WA 98109

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Daniel Ursache is an illustrator, painter, printmaker and graphic designer. He was born in Romania, but has lived in Montréal since 2004. He has exhibited his work in Canada, Romania, Poland, Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany, UK and Italy.
Daniel Ursache’s Itinerary, in his own words:
born accidentally in Turnu Severin,
a Romanian city on the northern bank of the Danube
raised in Constanta, ancient Greek and then Roman colony on the Black Sea coast
explored geology in Iasi,
the former capital of the Moldavian kingdom
studied fine arts in Timisoara, briefly the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
got stranded on the island of Montreal,
in the middle of St. Lawrence river and did
his post-graduate studies there
got lost in the Great North
found his way out of Whitehorse, Yukon
after two years and returned his brushes to Montreal
still traveling…
