The Astra Film International Documentary Festival (AFF) starts on Sunday in Sibiu with the premiere of the documentary "Tata/Dad", written and directed by freelance journalists Lina Vdovîi and Radu Ciorniciuc, the organizers said in a release.
"An important cultural highlight of this autumn, AFF2024 (October 20 - 27) means eight days with dozens of premiere screenings, meetings with directors and Q&A sessions, masterclasses, debates, exhibitions and dinner-concerts. And starting on Saturday, October 26 , an important selection of the festival films will be available online throughout Romania. The Astra Film Festival 2024 opening gala will take place at the Thalia hall of the Sibiu Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday, October 20, starting at 6:00 p.m., in the presence of Culture Minister Raluca Turcan. The event will be presented by journalist Amalia Enache, who will engage in two discussions - one with film critic Victor Morozov, about the role of the documentary film in the education and evolution of individuals and communities, and another with the Rector of the University of Bucharest, Marian Preda - about the phenomenon of migration, one of the core themes of the documentary that will be screened in the opening. Another special moment will be Dora Gaitanovici's piano recital. The Japanese group IX Percussion will also perform at the gala," states the AFF release.
Apart from the 18 documentary films about Romania or signed by Romanian directors, most of them screened in a first at AFF2024, the official selection includes approximately 100 new productions from all continents.
"The festival's grand prizes will be awarded by juries made up of prestigious documentary film professionals, rewarding the best productions in the four competition sections: Central and Eastern Europe, Romania, Documentary Film Emerging Voices, and the Student Competition," AFF informs.
The New Media Dome cinema theater located in Sibiu city's Grand Square will offer the audience full-dome, futuristic-vibe immersive film experiences. The music of the bands Queen and Pink Floyd will be at the center of some of the most anticipated shows in this program.
"Young European filmmakers enjoy unique opportunities at AFF2024, as eight ongoing projects by European directors and producers will benefit from mentoring sessions from recognized professionals of the cinema industry. There is a special program for students, DocStudent Hub, in which students and professors from prestigious universities in Prague, Zagreb, Vilnius, Bratislava, Zlin, Cluj-Napoca and Bucharest will participate in workshops, masterclasses and practical activities in the field of documentary film artistry, production and distribution. The program is carried out in partnership with the 'I.L. Caragiale' National University of Theatre and Film," the organizers announced.
The Astra Film International Documentary Film Festival in Sibiu, launched in 1993 as an innovative project, is one of the most important non-fiction film festivals in Europe and is listed by the European Film Academy among the festivals that have the right to directly submit nominations for European Film Awards. AFF stands under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and is organized by Astra Film, CNM Astra and the Astra Film Foundation.