One-on-One Personal Learning
2025-09-01 10:00 - 2026-03-31 18:00 UTC | In-person or Online
Overview
We offer private language classes which are tailored to your needs, whether it’s for travel, work, or personal growth. With a focused approach on your goals, we can help you gain the skills to navigate Romanian more efficiently. Set your pace with flexible scheduling!
All levels are welcome!
We offer online and in-person instruction in Seattle/University District.
Payment
Register today for either a 5-hour or 10-hour module.

Romanian History I: Part 1
2025-09-29 - 2025-12-12 | Online
Overview
Romanian History: Part I, (3 quarters): This class is designed for students who want to learn about Romanian history, including major personalities who steered the destiny of Romanians and their neighbors. Continuing the exploration of cultural identity and heritage through history, students will enlarge their vocabulary and expand their reading, listening, and writing skills. Conceived as a three-quarter class, we will go over crucial events starting with the Roman-Dacian wars, the formation of the Romanian provinces, and pursuing iconic leaders from Mircea the Elder, Vlad the Impaler, and Stephan to Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Carol I. The students will be engaged in attractive projects that will help them discover who their ancestors were and how they earned their place in European history.

Novice to Intermediate knowledge of Romanian is required. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly sessions

This is the first of three quarters for Romanian History Part: I.

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you.
Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Beginning Romanian 2 (Adults)
2025-09-29 - 2025-12-12 | Online
Overview

This class is a continuation of Beginning Romanian 1 for adults, where students will enhance their writing and conversation skills. Students learn to use future and perfect tenses, comparatives, superlatives and some idiomatic expressions. They will improve their listening and reading comprehension, as well as their knowledge about Romanian culture and its heritage.

This course is suitable for anyone wanting to improve their Romanian language skills. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).

Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.

Intermediate Romanian (Adults)
2025-09-29 - 2025-12-12 | Online
Overview
During this class students develop their speaking skills, increase their vocabulary, and practice their writing. They will also improve their oral language skills through conversation, everyday situations, and how to give presentations, role play, and participate in debates. They will learn techniques for writing, speaking, and comprehension. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.
Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).

Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.

ALTA Exam Preparation, Part 1
2025-09-29 - 2025-12-12 | Online
Overview
Unique in the US, the program “ALTA Exam Preparation”, launched in 2016 with great success. This program is addressed to students from WA State, and nationwide, to help them earn high school credits for their heritage language by taking the ALTA Exam, and possibly the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
After you take ALTA, you may also want to take an English proficiency test–STAMP, which can be taken online, or if you are a senior in high school and have already taken ACT or SAT–in order to qualify for the Global Seal of Biliteracy. ARCS can help you submit the results of these tests and thus to obtain the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
These diplomas will help with their admission process to highly-ranked universities in the US. Our method combines reading comprehension and grammar with interactive communicative methods. Groups of 4-7 students / 60 min, weekly. This class is Part 1 of 3.

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you.
Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
We offer need-based scholarships. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Eastern Europe in Translation
2025-10-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Private: Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98103
Join us October 15th for a book signing and discussion with Romanian-American translator and poet Monica Cure.She will present her most recent translation of "Too Great a Sky" a novel by Liliana Corobca, as well as the anthology "Cigarettes Until Tomorrow", with her poetry translation of Adela Greceanu.A limited number of books will be available for sale.📌October 15 at 6pm Good Shepherd Center4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Room 221Seattle, WA 98103 RSVP Here
Too Great a Sky, written by Liliana Corobca, translated by Monica Cure, and published by Seven Stories Press, recounts the deportation of Romanians from Bucovina by the Soviets during World War II. It is an exercise in historical memory which demonstrates how to maintain humanity in impossible conditions. The story centers on Ana Baljinschi as she recounts her life to her great grand-daughter. Ana was eleven when the Soviet soldiers sent...
Too Great a Sky, written by Liliana Corobca, translated by Monica Cure, and published by Seven Stories Press, recounts the deportation of Romanians from Bucovina by the Soviets during World War II. It is an exercise in historical memory which demonstrates how to maintain humanity in impossible conditions. The story centers on Ana Baljinschi as she recounts her life to her great grand-daughter. Ana was eleven when the Soviet soldiers sent her and her mother from Bucovina, Romania, to Kazakhstan. She recounts surviving the three week long journey via train. The trip is a harsh, humiliating one, but in spite of the closeness of death, life persists in the boxcar in the form of story-telling, riddles, ritual, and even humor. This survival continues in the harsh steppe of Kazakhstan through faith, love, and generosity, and returns to her what she lost at the end of the novel. Her story, told with unflinching candor, is a chronicle of a life lived during a time of great political and national change, a story of an existence defined and curtailed by lines drawn on a map.
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Too Great a Sky, scris de Liliana Corobca, tradus de Monica Cure și publicat de Seven Stories Press, povestește deportarea românilor din Bucovina de către sovietici în timpul celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial. Este un exercițiu de memorie istorică care arată cum se poate păstra umanitatea în condiții imposibile. Povestea o are în centru pe Ana Baljinschi, care își povestește viața strănepoatei sale. Ana avea unsprezece ani când soldații sovietici...
Too Great a Sky, scris de Liliana Corobca, tradus de Monica Cure și publicat de Seven Stories Press, povestește deportarea românilor din Bucovina de către sovietici în timpul celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial. Este un exercițiu de memorie istorică care arată cum se poate păstra umanitatea în condiții imposibile. Povestea o are în centru pe Ana Baljinschi, care își povestește viața strănepoatei sale. Ana avea unsprezece ani când soldații sovietici au trimis-o pe ea și pe mama ei din Bucovina, România, în Kazahstan. Ea povestește cum a supraviețuit călătoriei de trei săptămâni cu trenul. Drumul a fost dur și umilitor, dar, în ciuda apropierii morții, viața persistă în vagonul de marfă sub forma poveștilor, ghicitorilor, ritualurilor și chiar a umorului. Această supraviețuire continuă în stepa aspră a Kazahstanului prin credință, iubire și generozitate, aducând-o la sfârșitul romanului înapoi la ceea ce a pierdut. Povestea ei, spusă cu o sinceritate necruțătoare, este o cronică a unei vieți trăite într-o perioadă de mari schimbări politice și naționale, o poveste despre o existență definită și limitată de liniile trasate pe hartă.
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The anthology of Romanian poetry Cigarettes Until Tomorrow was published by Two Line Press as part of their biannual Calico Series, which offers the voices of previously inaccessible, highly innovative writers from around the world today. The anthology features translations of poetry by eight contemporary Romanian poets, each by a different translator. With black humor and in cutting, contemporary language, the poets assemble a series of profound moments from their...
The anthology of Romanian poetry Cigarettes Until Tomorrow was published by Two Line Press as part of their biannual Calico Series, which offers the voices of previously inaccessible, highly innovative writers from around the world today. The anthology features translations of poetry by eight contemporary Romanian poets, each by a different translator. With black humor and in cutting, contemporary language, the poets assemble a series of profound moments from their daily lives and explore themes of language, technology, and memory. Adela Greceanu’s poems, translated by Monica Cure, come from the collection Words Are Also a Province. The lyrical poems have a prose-like quality and are spoken or viewed through the subjectivity of Adila, the poet’s alter-ego, focusing on the marginalized, in life as well as language.
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Antologia de poezie română Cigarettes Until Tomorrow a fost publicată de Two Lines Press ca parte a seriei lor bienale Calico Series, care prezintă vocile unor autori extrem de inovatori, anterior inaccesibili, din întreaga lume. Antologia include traduceri ale poeziei a opt poeți contemporani români, fiecare realizată de un translator diferit. Cu umor negru și un limbaj tăios, contemporan, poeții alcătuiesc o serie de momente profunde din viața lor cotidiană...
Antologia de poezie română Cigarettes Until Tomorrow a fost publicată de Two Lines Press ca parte a seriei lor bienale Calico Series, care prezintă vocile unor autori extrem de inovatori, anterior inaccesibili, din întreaga lume. Antologia include traduceri ale poeziei a opt poeți contemporani români, fiecare realizată de un translator diferit. Cu umor negru și un limbaj tăios, contemporan, poeții alcătuiesc o serie de momente profunde din viața lor cotidiană și explorează teme precum limbajul, tehnologia și memoria. Poeziile Adelei Greceanu, traduse de Monica Cure, fac parte din volumul Și cuvintele sînt o provincie. Poeziile lirice au o calitate aproape prozastică și sunt exprimate sau privite prin prisma subiectivității Adelei, alter-ego-ul poetei, concentrându-se asupra celor marginalizați, atât în viață, cât și în limbaj.
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Monica Cure is a Romanian-American poet, translator, and dialogue specialist. She is a two-time Fulbright grantee and has a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Southern California. Her poems have appeared internationally in journals such as Poetry Northwest, Poet Lore, and Graywolf Lab. Her poetry translations likewise have been published internationally in Kenyon Review, Modern Poetry in Translation, Asymptote, and elsewhere. She won the 2023 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize...
Monica Cure is a Romanian-American poet, translator, and dialogue specialist. She is a two-time Fulbright grantee and has a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Southern California. Her poems have appeared internationally in journals such as Poetry Northwest, Poet Lore, and Graywolf Lab. Her poetry translations likewise have been published internationally in Kenyon Review, Modern Poetry in Translation, Asymptote, and elsewhere. She won the 2023 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize for her translation of Liliana Corobca’s novel The Censor’s Notebook (Seven Stories Press). Her most recent translations are the novel Too Great a Sky by Liliana Corobca (Seven Stories Press, shortlisted for the 2025 EBRD Literature Prize) and translations of poems by Adela Greceanu in the anthology of Romanian poetry Cigarettes Until Tomorrow (Two Lines Press). She has been based in Bucharest for the last six years.
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Monica Cure este o poetă şi traducătoare româno-americană, specialistă în dialog colectiv. Şi-a făcut doctoratul în literatură comparată la University of Southern California, în Los Angeles, şi i s-a acordat în două rânduri bursa Fulbright. Poeziile ei au fost publicate în reviste precum „Poetry Northwest”, „Poet Lore” şi „Graywolf Lab” iar traducerile ei în engleză din poeți români au apărut in reviste precum „Kenyon Review”, „Modern Poetry in Translation”, şi „Asymptote”....
Monica Cure este o poetă şi traducătoare româno-americană, specialistă în dialog colectiv. Şi-a făcut doctoratul în literatură comparată la University of Southern California, în Los Angeles, şi i s-a acordat în două rânduri bursa Fulbright. Poeziile ei au fost publicate în reviste precum „Poetry Northwest”, „Poet Lore” şi „Graywolf Lab” iar traducerile ei în engleză din poeți români au apărut in reviste precum „Kenyon Review”, „Modern Poetry in Translation”, şi „Asymptote”. A câștigat Premiul de Traducere Oxford-Weidenfeld 2023 pentru traducerea romanului The Censor’s Notebook de Liliana Corobca (Seven Stories Press). Cele mai recente traduceri ale ei includ romanul Too Great a Sky de Liliana Corobca (Seven Stories Press, selectat pe lista scurtă a Premiului de Literatură EBRD 2025) și traduceri de poezii de Adela Greceanu în antologia de poezie română Cigarettes Until Tomorrow (Two Lines Press). E stabilită de şase ani în Bucureşti.
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Exploring Our Parents' Childhood
2025-10-26 09:00 - 10:30 | Online
ARCS is thrilled to partner with the National Museum of Romanian Literature in Iași for a new series of virtual events. This first event will be part virtual tour, part book discussion of the anthology Lucruri mărunte. Copilăria în comunism (Small things. The childhood during communism) This 2023 FILIT editorial project brought together 22 Romanian authors to share a story about one of the objects on display at the Museum of the Childhood during Communism. We invite children in the Romanian diaspora who are interested in learning more about what a typical childhood looked like in communist Romania. If you're interested in reading some of the text, please let us know. However, it is Not a requirement for attending the event! *The virtual tour will be mostly in Romanian, while the discussion will be bilingual. Romanian proficiency is not required! We will accommodate any questions in English during the discussion portion. All are welcome! Please register below and join us for a thoughtful conversation about the recent past and the joy of reading. Participants will receive a zoom link the day before the event.

Happy Hour
2025-10-27 19:00 | Pizzeria La Rocca, 8404 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98103
Happy Hour at Pizzeria La Rocca
We're kicking off the countdown to the Romanian Film Festival Seattle at Pizzeria La Rocca! Join us for a laid-back evening of drinks and film talk.Share your most anticipated films, chat themes and get ready for an exciting new edition of the film festival.
📌October 27 at 7pm Pizzeria La Rocca8404 Greenwood Ave NSeattle, WA 98103 RSVP Here

Romanian Film Festival Seattle - 12th Edition
2025-11-07 19:00 - 2025-11-09 20:00 | SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
https://arcsproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/RFF25-trailer-small.mp4
Tickets and passes on sale now!The Romanian Film Festival in Seattle returns for its 12th edition November 7-9 at SIFF Cinema Uptown, an important cultural setting and promoter of European film. The Cultural Association Control N (based in Romania) is joining ARCS for a second year as co-organizer of the film festival, working as a bridge between Romanian filmmakers and the American public.
This year’s theme, Unifying Stories, illustrates the breadth of our shared human experiences touching on ideas of ambition, ethical dilemmas, and displacement, alongside funny struggles spiced with the proverbial dark Romanian humor. The festival will continue to showcase the best of the newest film productions across genres from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, promoting outstanding directors and actors, both established and up-and-coming. Our special guests this year are directors Tudor Giurgiu and Natalia Shaufert, and cinematographer Boróka Biró.
Launched in 2014 in order to promote Romanian film to diverse American audience, including the Romanian diaspora in Washington State, the festival has grown over the past 11 years, becoming one of the most important events of its kind on the west coast, a platform for facilitating access to the most recent internationally awarded Romanian films and for Romanian filmmakers, directors, actors and producers, attending the festival.
The festival is organized with the support of 4Culture.
In the meantime, please support our fundraising efforts. The longevity of this festival is a testament that its success relies on your support. Your donations will help us pay for rental fees, event insurance, publicity, distribution rights, as well as for lodging and travel expenses for our guests.
We welcome sponsors! Check out our sponsor package here.
Check out volunteer opportunities here.
Festival Official Partners and Co-organizers:

Festival Institutional Partner:
Supporting Sponsors:

Festival Ambassador:

FilmsTickets and Passes

Fundraising Campaign
Thank 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$18,570Goal$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

TrailerThe Moromete Family 3: Father and Sonby Stere Gulea
7:00pm, November 7Q&A with producer Tudor Giurgiu
2024, Drama, 112 min(Romania)

The year 1954 puts Niculae Moromete to the test: the tumultuous love affair with a married woman, the crisis of political conscience and the loss of confidence in the literary...
The year 1954 puts Niculae Moromete to the test: the tumultuous love affair with a married woman, the crisis of political conscience and the loss of confidence in the literary guild overwhelm him. The providential appearance in his life of a young poet offers him a way out of his professional and personal dilemmas, inspiring him to publish the novel The Moromete Family.
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TrailerThe Spruce Forest (US Premiere)by Tudor Giurgiu
12:00pm, November 8Q&A with director Tudor Giurgiu
2025, Hybrid documentary, 75min(Romania)

This gripping hybrid documentary, the latest film by renowned director Tudor Giurgiu, recreates the struggles faced by a Romanian community in Bassarabia while under Soviet occupation during World War II....
This gripping hybrid documentary, the latest film by renowned director Tudor Giurgiu, recreates the struggles faced by a Romanian community in Bassarabia while under Soviet occupation during World War II. A dramatic separation of a young couple becomes the least of their problems when the wife and two little girls are deported to Siberia, and the young husband escapes to Romania crushed by the guilt of losing the loved ones. Yet, the unfathomable happens and the two meet later in life. It is through the mastery of the actors who perform the theatrical reenactment that the story is revived and becomes a comment on our own times.
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TrailerHigh School Thievesby Tudor Petremarin
2:10pm, November 8
2024, Comedy drama, 110 min(Romania)

In order to fulfill their dreams, four teenagers decide to make money by selling the SAT prompts online.Sofi wants to raise money to pay for her college in Switzerland, Alex...
In order to fulfill their dreams, four teenagers decide to make money by selling the SAT prompts online.Sofi wants to raise money to pay for her college in Switzerland, Alex dreams to build his own recording studio, Amalia seek to impress her senator father, and Tomiță looks for an adventure.Everything is going well until they are all forced to face the reality around them and the consequences of their actions.
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TrailerInk Washby Sarra Tsorakidis
4:25pm, November 8
2024, Drama, 90 min(Romania, Greece, Denmark)

Seeking shelter in her work from the pain of a breakup, Lena, a painter turning 40, is commissioned to decorate a brutalist hotel nestled in the depths of a Romanian...
Seeking shelter in her work from the pain of a breakup, Lena, a painter turning 40, is commissioned to decorate a brutalist hotel nestled in the depths of a Romanian forest. There, where the Danube ends its course in seemingly miraculous springs, Lena’s moral views are confronted with an overwhelmingly corrupted community. The beautiful cinematography records the subtle interaction between landscape, human sensibility, and art.
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TrailerThe Dreamby Cătălin Saizescu
6:20pm, November 8
2023, Comedy drama, 136 min(Romania)

Alex, a downcast actor facing both romantic and professional failure, starts an unusual creative project: staging Pyramus and Thisbe (from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream) inside a prison. What begins as...
Alex, a downcast actor facing both romantic and professional failure, starts an unusual creative project: staging Pyramus and Thisbe (from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream) inside a prison. What begins as an artistic experiment evolves into a transformative experience for the inmates, culminating in an unexpected moment where art, hope, and escape collide in front of a live audience.
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TrailerTWST: Things We Said Todayby Andrei Ujică
11:25am, November 9
2024, Hybrid documentary, 85 min(Romania, France)

By famous documentarist Andrei Ujică, TWST takes as its starting point the arrival of the Beatles in New York for their August 1965 concert at Shea Stadium, and as its...
By famous documentarist Andrei Ujică, TWST takes as its starting point the arrival of the Beatles in New York for their August 1965 concert at Shea Stadium, and as its title a Beatles song that already anticipates a time when the present moment will have become a haunting past, neither retrievable nor forgettable. But the frame of reference steadily broadens. Adjacent realities of 1965 are juxtaposed—the New York World’s Fair, the Watts riots filtering through from the East Coast on television. It becomes a cinematic poem of that generation embedded in its own history.
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TrailerComatogenby Igor Cobileanski
1:00pm, November 9
2024, Drama, 110 min(Romania, Moldova)

Trying to get money to cover a debt for her son, who is in danger of going to prison, Alina, a nurse, faces an unexpected ethical problem. In a city...
Trying to get money to cover a debt for her son, who is in danger of going to prison, Alina, a nurse, faces an unexpected ethical problem. In a city of social disparities, the rich have neither time nor empathy for the poor, while the poor cannot afford resisting financial temptations. Will Alina give in and abandon her faith and morality?
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TrailerMoldovan Talesby Vlad Bolgarin, Evgheni Dudceac, Adriana Vasilcov, Ioana Vatamanu-Mărgineanu, Natalia Shaufert
3:30pm, November 9Q&A with director Natalia Shaufert
2024, Comedy, 104 min (Moldova)

A diverse and hilarious cast of characters in contemporary Moldova encounters surprising opportunities and obstacles through a series of unexpected adventures, all capturing the essence of humor, struggles, and spirit...
A diverse and hilarious cast of characters in contemporary Moldova encounters surprising opportunities and obstacles through a series of unexpected adventures, all capturing the essence of humor, struggles, and spirit of both rural and urban life.
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TrailerThe New Year That Never Cameby Bogdan Mureșanu
6:00pm, November 9Q&A with cinematographer Boróka Biró
2024, Comedy drama, 138 min(Romania, Serbia)

Six people find themselves in the eye of the storm without realizing it, as Ceaușescu's regime is on its last legs. A TV director has to find a way to...
Six people find themselves in the eye of the storm without realizing it, as Ceaușescu's regime is on its last legs. A TV director has to find a way to save his New Year’s show after the key actress defects. The solution lies with a distressed theatre actress who can’t reach her ex-boyfriend in Timișoara. Meanwhile the director’s son, a student, plans to flee to Yugoslavia by swimming across the Danube. Watching the son is an officer of the Securitate secret police, who struggles to move his mother from her soon-to-be-demolished house to a new apartment she cannot stand. The move is being executed by a factory worker, who panics after his son writes a letter to Santa Claus revealing that his father wants Ceaușescu dead. All these lives, under constant and invisible surveillance by the Securitate, converge in Bodgan Mureșanu’s tragicomedy.
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Guests
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.
Natalia ShaufertNatalia Shaufert is a Moldovan-American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. She is a graduate alumnus of the Dramatic Writing Department at New York University 2025. She writes slightly distorted real-life stories that emphasize, hyperbolize and satirize societal dilemmas and tragic, man-made fates. Nataliaholds a film degree and an MFA in Directing animation from Academy of Arts in Moldova. She has been internationally awarded for her films Ana, Mother Nature, You and Me, and Resentment.
Boróka BiróBoróka Biró is a Bucharest-based emerging cinematographer and alumna of the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” (MA). She is a Berlinale Talents 2021 and Sarajevo Talents 2017 alumna. She began her career in the camera department during her studies, quickly advancing from focus puller to camera operator, contributing to acclaimed productions such as Sieranevada (dir. Cristi Puiu), Touch Me Not (dir. Adina Pintilie), and Wednesday (dir. Tim Burton, Netflix). Her feature debut as a cinematographer, It Takes Two to Fence (dir. Andrei Gheorghe), premiered at Mons International Film Festival and earned her the Young Hope Award at the Gopo Gala for cinematography. Most recently, she lensed Bogdan Mureșanu’s The New Year That Never Came, which had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it won Best Film in the Orizzonti section, the FIPRESCI Award, and the Bisato d’Oro Award for Best Screenplay. For her work, Boróka received the Premio Autrici Under 40 “Valentina Pedicini” Special Mention for cinematography.
Moderators
Artur ErhanArtur is a Seattle-based screenwriter, film and music-videos director. Artur graduated from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts of Moldova, with a degree in Cinematic Arts. He is a former "TIFF Transilvania Pitch Stop Screenplay" winner (KAZIMIR - 2025), "Final Draft Big Break" finalist (NIGHT LIGHT - 2025), and "Write A Screenplay For..." (CIULEANDRA - 2023). He is currently working on a number of projects with filmmakers from Romania, Moldova, and the United States. His latest film "HOTARUL / (THE WALL)" that he wrote and produced, is set to be released in February 2026.

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.
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.

SupportersPrivate donors Supporting sponsor · $1,000 and more

Cosmin and Elena Catrinescu

Tracy Sharpe and Roxana Arama

Mihai and Gabriela Aluaș

Alexandrina Măicăneanu and Radu Simionescu

Festival ambassador · $500 and more

Otilia & Tudor Baraboi

Mary Sherhart

Cătălin and Raluca Olteanu

Betty and Jeff Gossett

Vasi Rusu

Nick Voicu

Irina and Ola Mork

Ana and Radu Băcioiu

Adrian Potra

Luana and Marian Stănescu

Gabriela and Teodora Ghizilă

Festival benefactor · $250 and more

Dana Cozmei

Ileana Marin

Anca and Catalin Zaharia

Marius Bunescu

Andrei Zlati

Ramona and Marian Pungan

Roxana Teodorescu

Claudiu and Dana Raileanu

Anonymous

Andrei Marinescu

Gabriel and Raluca Hera

Festival supporter · $100 and more

Michele Anciaux Aoki

Rebecca Carpenter

Ionela Popescu

Carmen Rautu

Helene Kaplan

Smaranda Lieuallen

Elena Boris

Cristian and Ana Maria Ilac

Horatiu Dicher

Zachariah Wolfe

Elena Apreutesei

In honor of Ana Bacioiu

Elizabeta Iliescu

Festival friend · $50 and more

Linda Morris

Lena Stavig

In honor Ana Bacioiu

Cristina Sega

Special Thanks · $25 and more

Florin Teodorescu

Joyeux Bazaar - Holiday Market
2025-12-06 11:00 - 17:00 | Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122
Join us on Saturday, December 6, for the Joyeux Bazaar. This joyful, global holiday market, organized by the Alliance Française of Seattle, celebrates artisans, nonprofits, and cultural connections. Stop by our table for special gifts, including delicious Romanian wines from Teinnovadora, importer of quality Romanian wines. Wine tasting will be available, but not required to purchase wine. Pre-order wines today! Pay and pick up at the Joyeux Bazaar. If you're looking for unique holiday gifts, this is the place to be!Learn more about the full program and vendors here. Previously known as the European Holiday Market, the Joyeux Bazaar is moving to a larger venue! SCHEDULEPERFORMERLOCATION11:15am - 12pm French-American School of Puget SoundChoirs Grades K, 1st, 2nd Main Stage12pm - 12:30pm Syrena Polish Dance Group Main Stage12:30pm - 1:15pmFrench-American School of Puget SoundChoirs Grades 3rd, 4th, 5th Main Stage1:15pm - 2:15pmJean Chaumont Trio Main Stage1:30pm - 2pmStorytime in French with Les Marmottes Polyglottes Upstairs2:15pm - 2:30pmFrench Immersion School of Washington Choir Main Stage2:30pm - 3pmNorth Seattle French School Choir Main Stage3pm - 3:30pmSanta Claus' visit and gifts Upstairs3pm - 4pmKwetu BandMain Stage4pm - 5pmLadies Musical Club of SeattleMain Stage NEW LOCATION Saturday, December 6, 202511am - 5pmat Washington Hall153 14th AveSeattle, WA 98122 FREE ADMISSION

ALTA Exam Preparation, Part 2
2026-01-12 - 2026-03-27 | Online
Overview
Unique in the US, the program “ALTA Exam Preparation”, launched in 2016 with great success. This program is addressed to students from WA State, and nationwide, to help them earn high school credits for their heritage language by taking the ALTA Exam, and possibly the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
After you take ALTA, you may also want to take an English proficiency test–STAMP, which can be taken online, or if you are a senior in high school and have already taken ACT or SAT–in order to qualify for the Global Seal of Biliteracy. ARCS can help you submit the results of these tests and thus to obtain the Global Seal of Biliteracy.
These diplomas will help with their admission process to highly-ranked universities in the US. Our method combines reading comprehension and grammar with interactive communicative methods. Groups of 4-7 students / 60 min, weekly. This class is Part 2 of 3.

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you.
Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
We offer need-based scholarships. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Romanian History II: Part 2
2026-01-12 10:00 - 2026-03-27 18:00 | Online
Overview
This class is designed for students who took the Romanian History I class and want to continue learning about Romanian history. Part II is dedicated to the twentieth century events: Great Union, WWI, WWII, communism, and post-communism. Continuing the exploration of modern and contemporary cultural identity, students will expand their vocabulary, as well as their reading, listening, and writing skills. Conceived as a two-quarter class, we will focus on Romanian monarchs Carol I, Ferdinand, Carol II, and Mihai. We will also examine the contribution of Romanian Queens – Elizabeth and Marie – to Romanian arts and civic life. The students will be engaged in attractive projects that will help them discover their roots and how they grandparents and parents survived the challenges of history.
Intermediate knowledge of Romanian is required. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly sessions

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Beginning Romanian 1 (Adults)
2026-01-19 - 2026-04-03, 2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online
Overview
This class is designed for students with no prior knowledge about Romanian Language, but who have been exposed to Romanian culture and are interested to learn its language. It is an introductory Romanian Language course, where students will learn the simple present tense, greetings, numbers, dates, time, and other simple grammar. As a result, students will be able to participate in a 2-way conversation and will know the basics of writing and delivering speeches. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.
Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).

Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.

Romanian Pioneers 2
2026-01-19 - 2026-04-03 | Online
Overview
This class aims to help students explore and embrace their Romanian identity and heritage. They will discover Romanian illustrous figures and find inspiration in their pioneer spirit, courage and tenacity. The students will interact with real Romanian role models while developing a global perspective of their place into the world as bilingual and bicultural citizens. Basic knowledge of Romanian required. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly sessions

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment

Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.
Next Course
Romanian History, Part I

Beginning Romanian 2 (Adults)
2026-01-19 - 2026-04-03 | Online

Improve Your Writing, Reading and Speaking Skills: Part 2
2026-01-19 10:00 - 2026-04-04 18:00 | Online
Overview
In this course, students will read intriguing texts on the world’s inexplicable mysteries such as pyramids, ghost apparitions, huge marine monsters, heroes with superpowers, UFOs, and many others. Since each text is accompanied by a recording and a dossier of activities, students will have the opportunity to further practice writing and speaking in Romanian while trying to offer explanations to the mysteries they have read about. For this class, students will keep a vocabulary journal and will write their own short texts or blog entries. Whenever possible, we will meet specialists in world history and science to interview them and work on more formal conversation skills. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.

Schedule
Time: To Be Determined – 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.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
New students must register for placement test.
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Romanian Spring Traditions
2026-03-28 11:30 - 13:00 | Sammamish Library, 825 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA, 98075
Join us for a special event highlighting some of the spring traditions in Romania. As the land awakens after winter, many Romanian customs and stories focus on the connection between people and nature - marking the return of warmth and the renewal of earth. We'll also feature Easter traditions, including colorful egg decorating, seasonal foods, and more. Come discover the spirit of Romanian springtime through stories and activities! Please fill out the registration form for each child so that we can best prepare. Register HERE. This event is free, but donations are always welcome here. Romanian Spring Traditions March 28, 11:30am-1pmSammamish Library825 228th Ave SESammamish, WA 98075

The Meteorite by Cristina Hermeziu
2026-03-29 09:00 | Online
Join us for the latest installment in our literary series exploring short stories from the anthology Lucruri mărunte. Copilăria în comunism (Small things. The childhood during communism).
We look forward to a virtual discussion with author Cristina Hermeziu about her short story "The Meteorite". A link to the text (in Romanian) will be provided after registering below for the event. Please
We invite children in the Romanian diaspora who are interested in learning more about what a typical childhood looked like in communist Romania. Proficiency in Romanian is not required, however the discussion is likely to be bilingual. We will accommodate questions in English as needed. All are welcome!
This 2023 FILIT editorial project was compiled by the National Museum of Romanian Literature in Iași and it brought together 22 Romanian authors to share a story about one of the objects on display at the Museum of the Childhood during Communism.
Please register below and join us for a thoughtful conversation about the recent past and the joy of reading.Participants will receive a zoom link after registration.

Cristina Hermeziu is a writer and journalist. She was born in Iași in 1971 and has lived in France since 2005. She has published the novel Nickel (Cartier, 2024); the poetry collections Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Paris Doesn’t Believe in Tears, Junimea, 2016), which received the First Book Award at the Tudor Arghezi International Festival; Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (In the Meantime, You Go On with...
Cristina Hermeziu is a writer and journalist. She was born in Iași in 1971 and has lived in France since 2005. She has published the novel Nickel (Cartier, 2024); the poetry collections Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Paris Doesn’t Believe in Tears, Junimea, 2016), which received the First Book Award at the Tudor Arghezi International Festival; Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (In the Meantime, You Go On with Your Life, Junimea, 2020); and Elegii postHumane (PostHuman Elegies, Junimea, 2024), a bilingual Romanian–Spanish edition. She is also the author of the nonfiction/publicistic volume Vedere din Turnul Eiffel (View from the Eiffel Tower, 2017). Her short fiction appears in the anthologies Cartea copilăriilor (The Book of Childhoods, Polirom, 2016), Lucruri mărunte (Small Things, Editura Muzeelor Literare Iași, 2023), and Garderoba (The Wardrobe, Paralela 45, 2024). She also coordinated the collective volume Viața pe Facebook. Dau like, deci exist (Life on Facebook: I Like, Therefore I Am, Polirom, 2020). In 2018, she created Zoom France Roumanie, an online cultural magazine that promotes Romanian literature translated into French. She is a founding member of the Cosmose cultural association in Paris and writes literary reviews for ActuaLitté and Revue des Deux Mondes. Since 2025, she has been editor-in-chief of the new series of the magazine Scriptor.
Read More

CRISTINA HERMEZIU este scriitoare și jurnalistă. S-a născut la Iași, în 1971. Din 2005 s-a stabilit în Franța. A publicat: Nickel, roman (Cartier, 2024), volumele de versuri Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Junimea, 2016, Premiul Opera Prima, Festivalul internațional Tudor Arghezi), Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (Junimea, 2020), Elegii postHumane (Junimea, 2024, ediție bilingvă româno-spaniolă) și volumul de publicistică Vedere din Turnul Eiffel (2017). Este prezentă cu proză...
CRISTINA HERMEZIU este scriitoare și jurnalistă. S-a născut la Iași, în 1971. Din 2005 s-a stabilit în Franța. A publicat: Nickel, roman (Cartier, 2024), volumele de versuri Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Junimea, 2016, Premiul Opera Prima, Festivalul internațional Tudor Arghezi), Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (Junimea, 2020), Elegii postHumane (Junimea, 2024, ediție bilingvă româno-spaniolă) și volumul de publicistică Vedere din Turnul Eiffel (2017). Este prezentă cu proză scurtă în antologiile Cartea copilăriilor (Polirom, 2016), Lucruri mărunte (Editura Muzeelor Literare Iași, 2023) și Garderoba (Paralela 45, 2024). A coordonat volumul colectiv Viața pe Facebook. Dau like, deci exist (Polirom, 2020). În 2018 a creat Zoom France Roumanie, revistă culturală online, unde promovează literatura română tradusă în franceză. Este membru fondator al asociației culturale Cosmose din Paris. Scrie cronici literare în ActuaLitté și Revue des Deux Mondes. Din 2025, este redactor-șef al revistei Scriptor, serie nouă.
Read More

Explore Cristina Hermeziu's work: Nickel, Life on Facebook, and Scriptor.

Beginning Romanian 3 (Adults)
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online

Romanian Pioneers: Part 3
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online

Beginning Romanian 3
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online
Overview
This class is tailored for students of Romanian origin nationwide who do not understand, nor speak the language, but who have been exposed to Romanian culture and are curious to find out more about their heritage. They will learn basic conversational skills in Romanian and will develop their pronunciation, vocabulary, writing and reading knowledge.They will gain confidence and will be able to connect with their Romanian family in meaningful ways. No knowledge of Romanian required. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.
Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).

Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.

Beginning Romanian 1
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online

Improve Your Writing, Reading and Speaking Skills: Part 3
2026-04-13 10:00 - 2026-06-19 18:00 | Online
Overview
In this course, students will read intriguing texts on the world’s inexplicable mysteries such as pyramids, ghost apparitions, huge marine monsters, heroes with superpowers, UFOs, and many others. Since each text is accompanied by a recording and a dossier of activities, students will have the opportunity to further practice writing and speaking in Romanian while trying to offer explanations to the mysteries they have read about. For this class, students will keep a vocabulary journal and will write their own short texts or blog entries. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.

Schedule
Time: To Be Determined – 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.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
New students must register for placement test.
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Night of Ideas 2026
2026-04-18 - 2026-04-19 | Town Hall Seattle and Gage Academy of Art
ARCS is a proud partner of this year's Night of Ideas, organized by the Alliance Française of Seattle and Villa Albertine.
Night of Ideas is an annual event dedicated to exploring pressing topics through culture and dialogue. This year’s global edition marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, inviting us to revisit the Enlightenment ideals that shaped both French and American democracy.
Across keynotes, panels, community conversations, and hands-on workshops, the event will examine the legacy of “progress” amid today’s challenges—from democratic backsliding and the climate crisis to algorithmic systems and cultural erosion. It will also explore how art, philosophy, literature, music, and community work can inspire new forms of optimism and agency.
Saturday, April 18: Town Hall Seattle – Keynotes + panelsSunday, April 19: Gage Academy of Art – Hands-on workshops, round table, and collaborative paint-by-numbers mural
Details and RSVP: https://www.afseattle.org/nightofideas

International Children's Friendship Festival 2026
2026-04-18 11:00 - 18:00 | Seattle Center – Fisher Pavilion, 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States
ARCS is excited to participate again 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 free and open to the public. We are looking for children and teenagers of Romanian or Moldovan descent who are passionate to share their heritage!We have several volunteering options: from helping us plan to creating website content/brochures to leading activities and engaging with visitors. If you would like to volunteer, please fill out this form. We will confirm actual volunteer slots closer to the festival. For inquiries email us at youth@arcsproject.org. If you cannot volunteer this time, just swing by to see us at the festival! April 18, 11-6pmFisher Pavilion, Seattle Center305 Harrison StSeattle, WA 98109 *We will only be participating on Saturday, April 18, but the festival will take place April 18 and 19. The event is a well-established Pacific Northwest festival and volunteer-run with a loyal crowd and an increasing number of new children every year. It is annually recognized by proclamations of several elected officials in Washington State. Learn more about the festival from the organizers here.

I Must Betray You
2026-04-30 18:00 | Private: Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98103
We starting back our book club!Join us and together we'll discover a diverse selection of books and connect over themes that inspire reflection. Our first pick is the award-winning book "I Must Betray You" by Ruta Sepetys. Please RSVP below. About the book: Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force. Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: either betray everyone and everything he loves, or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe. Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom? "I Must Betray You" is available for purchase at most large book stores. April 30 at 6pmGood Shepherd Center4649 Sunnyside Ave NRoom 221Seattle, WA 98103

ARCS Evenings
2026-05-07 19:00 | Pizzeria La Rocca, 8404 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98103
In between events like our book club, film festival, at other programs, we’re introducing ARCS Evenings, a space where we can keep the dialogue going, whether you’re a longtime supporter or you’re joining us for the first time. We invite you at Pizzeria LaRocca, a Romanian-owned and award-winning restaurant. Join us throughout the year for a glass of Romanian wine and a chance to meet other community members in a relaxing setting. Mark your calendars and please RSVP below! 📌May 7 at 7pm Pizzeria La Rocca8404 Greenwood Ave NSeattle, WA 98103 📌August 6 at 7pm 📌October 29 at 7pm
