In early XVII century, a talented young silversmith from the Transylvanian city of Baia Mare, immersed himself in alchemical studies 400 years ago and came into conflict with the most powerful man in the area. In a parallel act in the present time, an entrepreneur from Baia Mare is investigating after he accidentally found the unknown alchemist in his hometown.

The Silversmith

When a YouTube video of Alexandru Duru's hoverboard flight goes viral, the young engineer sets a Guinness World Record and achieves the recognition he desires. But fame and fortune don't come easily. Often mocked and ostracized (until they achieve their goal), inventors see the world in a distinct way. Duru is no different. The son of Romanian immigrants, he's driven by a desire to achieve the impossible—and to cash in. Exploring the banality of Duru's trial-and-error efforts, director Bogdan Stoica is an artistic risk-taker worthy of his subject. He allows contemplative scenes to develop in real-time with immaculate framing; a natural tension builds as we witness Duru strapping the equivalent of high-speed lawn mower blades to his feet. Avoiding the temptation to sensationalize and thus trivialize his subject, Stoica reveals a rich story about immigration, settlement and the human desire to transcend our physical confines.  -Alexander Rogalski (Hot Docs Film Festival)

Omni: An Act against Gravity

Set against oneiric looking landscapes in Romania, They Sleep Standing is a hybrid documentary-style fictional film, where time seems to be at a standstill. Catherine, Oana and Bogdan, approaching their 30’s, are preoccupied with the future. The languid summer mood set by filmmaker Bogdan Stoica shows his protagonists lingering between fragility and discovery, and not having the answers to many of life’s uncertainties. By keeping the spaces wide open to chance, the encounters are unexpected, and at times frivolous. The outcome is a poetic film, where we are left feeling that sometimes life is best appreciated in some of its more evasive and fleeting moments. (Programming Collective)