Acasă, My Home is the first Romanian documentary selected in the official competition at the Sundance Festival and the winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography. The film has been selected by over 60 festivals worldwide, winning 10 awards and shortlisted for The European Film Awards Documentary section.

 

As UiPath Foundation, we aim to amplify the powerful message of the documentary and create a forum for dialogue exploring the intersection of education and belonging. We want to foster further conversation on what are the long-term systemic changes needed to support underprivileged children and their families worldwide, so they can reach their full potential and thrive together with their communities, through equal access to quality education and through the development of 21st-century skills.

 

In these challenging times where the definition of home has drastically changed as many of us are quarantined to our abode and where educational systems around the world are facing more and more challenges, Acasă, My Home, gives us food for thought on what constitutes home for each one of us, inviting us to challenge the very meaning of it.

For us at UiPath Foundation, home is where we come from, or maybe where we're heading to. But we are certain of one aspect: we think it’s well worth owning the path to it!

The documentary, directed by Romanian journalist turned filmmaker Radu Ciorniciuc, presents a compelling tale of an impoverished family living on the fringes of society in Romania, fighting for acceptance and their own version of freedom.

 

In the wilderness of the Bucharest Văcărești Delta, nine children and their parents lived in perfect harmony with nature for 20 years until they were chased out and forced to adapt to life in the big city. As the family struggled to conform to modern civilization and maintain their connection to each other and themselves, they each began to question their place in the world and what their future might be. With their roots in the wilderness, the nine children and their parents struggled to find a way to keep their family united in the concrete jungle.

 

The documentary submerges the viewer into a powerful emotional journey of adaptation to the challenges of urban life, with all the struggles related to housing, education, and social integration.

The harmonious bond with nature and the difficulties of the Enache’s wild lifestyle dictated the social dynamics inside the family. The bond between the members was not only forged by love, but also by their will to stay alive. Only by working and being together, could the family survive in that harsh environment.

Radu Ciorniciuc

Director

In the photo, from left to right: Lina Vdovîi, Screenwriter & journalist, and Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, Producer & Member of the American Film Academy

Acasă, My Home documentary proved to be the most beautiful and intense documentation journey out of all my experiences as a journalist. Each visit in the Văcărești Delta and each interaction with the wonderful children of Gică Enache, each event that brought us closer to mapping this complex story brought me indescribable emotions and joy. I have learnt, during the 4 years of filming, that solutions for exclusion and marginalization can not be enabled just by individuals, regardless of their high degree of involvement and willingness to help. I also learnt that structural long-term changes need to be driven by the public institutions so these communities at the edge of society can have a real chance for integration. I strongly believe Acasă, My home advocated and pushed forward in this direction, but more efforts are necessary for the polarization within our societies to really be addressed.

Lina Vdovîi

Screenwriter & journalist

The movie was a starting point for great online discussions with teachers and volunteers, but also for special debates after screenings. At One World Romania Festival, we approached the topic of equal opportunities and education for children from vulnerable areas.

 

Catch Acasă, My Home online or in theatres across the US. Learn about more viewings near you through the documentary’s distributor Zeitgeist Films.

https://zeitgeistfilms.com/film/acasamyhome

 

“Acasă, My Home” is available online, on HBO GO: https://hbogo.ro/movies/acasa-my-home

 

We are looking forward to more screenings and meaningful discussions!

Awards

Acasă, My Home is nominated for the European Film Awards in the European Documentary category

 

  • Special Jury Award for Cinematography in the World Cinema Documentary Competition – Sundance Film Festival (USA)
  • VIKTOR Main Competition DOK.international – DOK.fest Munchen (Germany)
  • Special Jury Award – Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (Greece)
  • Golden Horn at Krakow Film Festival (International Documentary Films Competition, Poland)
  • Romanian Days Award – Transilvania International Film Festival (Romania)
  • Jackson Wild Media Awards Honorable Mention (USA)
  • Human Rights Award – Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • Moral Approach Award – MakeDox (Republic of Macedonia)
  • AWARD WINNER PHOENIX PREIS 2020 – Film Festival Cologne (Germany)
  • Perspektive Junges Kino 2020 Award – Fünf Seen Filmfestival (Germany)
  • Best Documentary 2020 – Students Jury’s Prize – Râșnov Film festival and Stories (Romania)
  • Special Mention – Zurich Film Festival (Switzerland), Documentary Competition
  • ZagrebDox International Documentary Film Festival: Big Stamp Award for the best film in regional competition (Croatia)
  • ZagrebDox International Documentary Film Festival: Small Stamp Award for the best film by a young filmmaker up to 35 years of age (Croatia)
  • ZagrebDox International Documentary Film Festival: FIPRESCI Award (Croatia)
  • Festival Cinéma Montpellier Méditerranée: Prix Ulysse Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole (France)
  • ECFA DOC Award 2020, Filem’On – International Film Festival for Young Audiences (Belgium)
  • ERC Bellona Prize, offered by de Environmental Human Rights Center Bellona, Message to Man International Film Festival (Russia)
  • Human Rights Award, Free Zone Film Festival (Serbia)
  • Golden Key Feature Film, Kasseler Dokfest (Germania)
  • Nomination for the Best Cinematography Award, International Documentary Association (USA)
  • Special Mention from the Maysles Brothers Award Jury, Denver FF (USA)
  • Real BUZZ Trophy for The Best Documentary Film, BUZZ IFF Buzău International Film Festival (Romania)
  • Best Documentary Film at the 32nd edition of Trieste Film Festival (Italy)
  • The Young Adults’ Prize at Black Movie Geneva International Independent Film Festival (Switzerland)
  • Grand Prix Ciné Junior, Ciné Junior festival (France)
  • Prix CICAE, Ciné Junior festival (France)
Annual Report 2023