Germany 2024, 83 min, Romanian, Hebrew & English subtitles
Valeria is one of the last remaining residents in Geamăna, a village nestled in a breathtaking valley in the Carpathian Mountains. Her husband passed away, and her son has long since moved to the city. Now, her faithful companions are her dog Duracell and her mischievous cow Păuna. Valeria doesn’t need much more than this, just a little peace, but her world is shrinking before her eyes. The water level in the artificial lake created for the nearby copper mine during the Ceaușescu dictatorship is rising steadily. Its orange waters, polluted by industrial waste, are consuming the land, and only a lonely church steeple stands as a reminder of where the once-thriving village center once stood. This gorgeous and heartfelt debut film compassionately captures how far-reaching environmental changes affect the fateful choices of a woman in the final act of her life.
Across the Universe Beyond the Screen Competition Human/Nature Official Website