Asta e (2001) - Post Communist Romanian Drama Film - English Subs - Multiple Awards

Once a thriving small town, Sulina has become a victim of post-communist decline and confusion. Ten years after Ceaușescu's fall, its residents still live in poverty. Despite their despair, there is still room for dreams and humor.

In this film, Thomas Ciulei attempts to portray the harsh reality faced by certain residents, isolated and forgotten by a prosperous society. The documentary is crafted with raw footage and conversations with the locals. The images follow the characters closely, capturing their interactions and conveying their unfiltered discussions with others from the area. The landscapes are bleak and somber, mirroring the emotional state of those who live there: young Ionuț, Toni, Varvara...

During the communist era, Sulina was a prosperous town, especially given its location between the Danube and the Black Sea. Now, just over 10 years after the Revolution, this place has become forgotten by both people and God.

The feature-length documentary is a portrait of three generations of inhabitants of the Danube Delta. A Romanian-German co-production supported by ONC Romania, the film has been screened at over 50 international festivals in the past three years, including the Berlinale, the Rotterdam International Festival, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It has received the following awards:

Grand Prix du Jury Documentaire, Belfort 2001
Golden Olive, Kalamata International Documentary Festival 2001
Grand Jury Prize for Widescreen, IBC Amsterdam 2001
Silver Rembrandt for Documentary, IBC Amsterdam 2001
Mention speciale, Les ecrans documentaires, Paris 2002

Archive Entry #7