Astra Film starts tomorrow in Chișinău

The fifth edition of Astra Film Chișinău begins tomorrow at the Odeon Cinema and features three days dedicated to documentary film, including a substantial programme Astra Film Junior aimed at children and teenagers. The programme includes a discussion on artificial intelligence, three films that have just won awards at Astra Film Festival 2026 in Sibiu, and two documentaries by Dumitru Budrala, exploring the world of shepherds and the tradition of transhumance. Astra Film Chișinău takes place from 11 to 13 November 2026 at the Odeon Cinema. 

Funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova, within the Romanian Government, Astra Film Chișinău offers the public free admission, subject to availability. Audience members are invited to book their seats in advance. Reserved tickets are held in your personal account; there is no charge and no fees are added. Full details: https://astrafilm.ro/chisinau/tickets.

“The fifth edition of Astra Film Chișinău coincides with the DRRM’s commitment to continuing to promote Romanian values across the Prut. Year after year, we have learnt together that a cultural project on the scale of Astra Film deserves to be tailored to its audience, and the Astra Junior cultural and educational programme is the most successful. Thousands of children gain a clearer understanding of life, society and the challenges of their age from documentary films than from other, sometimes rigid, lessons. This year, we are celebrating, once again together, the values of the art of cinema, alongside Astra Film Chișinău”, said Constantin-Valentin Răducanu, Director-General with the duties of State Secretary at the DRRM.

Dumitru Budrala: “Chișinău has become an important part of the Astra Film Festival phenomenon”

“We’re coming to Chișinău for the fifth year running, and we can already speak of a tradition. Chișinău has become an important part of the Astra Film Festival phenomenon. And this means a great deal to me and to the festival team. The documentary film is the most natural language that brings us together,” said Dumitru Budrala, founding director of Astra Film Festival.  

The official opening takes place at 6.00 pm, and the documentary ‘Elon Musk Unveiled’ (dir. Andreas Pichler, Germany, 2025, 90 mins), a behind-the-scenes look at Tesla and the promise of the self-driving car, featuring insider accounts and raising questions about the human cost of technological failures.

The screening will be followed by a discussion on artificial intelligence, moderated by Aura Revenco. The conversation will feature writer Val Butnaru and artificial intelligence expert Denis Zacon.

A Day of Award-Winning Films at AFF2026

On the second day, three documentaries that won awards at this year’s Astra Film Festival festival in Sibiu will be screened: ‘The Mountain’ (dir. Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić) – Best Documentary in the Eastern Europe competition, a film about a mother defending her home and community against plans for militarisation; “Every Day the Same Train Passes By and Never Stops” (dir. Vlad Petri) – Best Documentary in the Romania competition, a portrait of a village where rituals, humour and solidarity accompany the loss of a community member; and “Uninhibited Spartans” (dir. Maud Mascre) – Best Documentary in the DocSchool competition, about women who discover in burlesque dance a space of freedom and self-acceptance.

The final day: a journey into the vanishing world of transhumant shepherds

The final day is dedicated to the documentaries “On the Road” (1997) and “The Milk Trail” (2026), two films by Dumitru Budrala, made nearly three decades apart. The shepherds’ journeys, their daily labour, nights spent under the open sky and the bond between generations paint a picture of a world seen from within, against the backdrop of 2026 being declared by the UN as the International Year of Pastures and Shepherds.

Following the screenings, the audience is invited to a question-and-answer (Q&A) session with director Dumitru Budrala.

Most Astra Film Junior screenings are sold out

Astra Film Junior invites children and teenagers to discover the world through documentary stories that open up new perspectives and encourage curiosity. The programme also features three films that deserve the audience’s attention: ‘We Are Strong!’, about six teenage girls from different corners of the world, their choices and the courage to find their own voice; ‘The Wild Delta’, an exploration of the fascinating world of the Danube Delta; and ‘Heroes of the Galaxy’, a documentary about refugee children trying to find their place and imagine a secure future – there are still tickets available. 

The Astra Film Junior screenings are followed by discussions that encourage questions and free thinking. Most of the Astra Film Junior screenings are already sold out.

About Astra Film Festival: Founded in 1993, Astra Film Festival is Romania’s longest-running documentary film festival and one of the most important events dedicated to non-fiction cinema in Europe. Astra Film Chișinău, now in its fifth edition, is a leading cultural event in the Republic of Moldova, initiated and funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova – the Government of Romania and organised by Astra Film/CNM Astra Film, with the support of the Sibiu County Council.

Media
partners: TVR Moldova, Radio Chișinău, Star TV, Realitatea, One TV, Vocea Basarabiei.