Vladimir Mitev
On September 14, 2024 cultural activists from Ruse and Giurgiu achieved an unexpectedly good and completely logical interaction for two neighboring Danube cities – the simultaneous organization of a mini-film festival in cultural centers on both sides of the river. In Ruse, the cultural centre “Bloc 14” screened European animated short films offered by the Play Giurgiu festival, organized by Mihai Mitrică and his NGO. On the same evening, Mihai, who has been organizing the Romanian animated film festival Animest for many years, screened “The Big Bad Wolf”, a film for young and old, at the Giurgiu theatre.
In Ruse, the Bloc 14 hall of about 40 seats was full. The films demonstrated the imagination and artistry in creating animated films, but the audience also emphasized the deep psychological layers in some of them. Animation movies often touched on themes of life and death, love, loneliness and alienation. People who spoke to the Bridge of Friendship blog after the screening were visibly affected by what they saw, which offered both interesting insight and ”food” for reflection.
Before the screening started, the hosts, Assen Nikolov and Evgenia Yavasheva, noted that this is not the first time Romanian events have taken place at Block 14 and that they are usually movie-related. They thanked their partner Play Giurgiu from Giurgiu, as well as the Bridge of Frienship blog which has been the link between the two sides. According to the two hosts, Romania has been successful both in the art of cinema and in film festivals, and the opportunity to connect with them in Ruse is very positive.
Conversations after the event and comments on social media from Ruse residents interested in the arts showed that Ruse audiences need such events and see the sense in organizing them more often. They also show that, 17 years after EU accession, it is not only local and regional administrations that are building links between Ruse and Giurgiu, but connections are established between the people themselves, which adds density and depth to the European belonging of the two cities.
Photo: The screening of Play Ruse festival took place in cultural centre Block 14 (source: The Bridge of Friendship)
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