"After the Stumps", a fascinating documentary directed by Mihai Gavril Dragolea and Radu Mocanu, with the support of Manifest Film team, has been selected to compete at the prestigious Krakow Film Festival. This festival is renowned for its focus on documentary films and is considered an essential pillar in Europe, which underlines the importance and relevance of this Romanian documentary on the international scene.
The documentary "After the Stumps" paints a raw and raw picture of the impact of logging in Romania. The spotlight is on the courageous protests of local people who have chosen to broadcast live from the forests to draw attention to illegal logging. They are directly confronting the big companies and corrupt systems that enable these abuses of the environment. The film succeeds in showing not only the natural beauty of Romanian forests, but also their fragility in the face of aggressive and unscrupulous exploitation.
Initially, the movie was based solely on the testimonies and experiences of the protesters, giving the audience an insider's view of the struggle to protect the forests. Over time, the filmmakers' vision evolved, approaching the subject from a much more personal perspective, as evidenced by the briefings provided by the production team. The shift from a factual to a subjective account only heightens the emotion and seriousness of the subject, allowing viewers to feel the burden of these direct conflicts unfolding in nature.
The documentary is successful in inviting viewers to reflect not only on illegal logging, but also on the complex interconnectedness between man and nature and the acute need for balance and respect for the environment. This approach has revealed how vital it is that local stories are exposed on an international scale to inspire necessary political and social change.
In a dramatic incident that further heightened the tension behind the making of the film, Mihai Dragolea was involved in a violent attack in September 2021, when 20 individuals descended on him while he was filming in a forest in Suceava County. His team was the victim of a concerted assault and their equipment and recordings were destroyed. This unpleasant experience highlights not only the dangers that journalists and documentary filmmakers face when bringing such controversial topics to light, but also the need to protect these professionals who risk their safety to serve the truth.
Participating in the Krakow Film Festival provides an exclusive setting for documentaries to draw international attention to these pressing issues. It is an acknowledgement not only of the film's artistic value, but also of its mission to mobilize global awareness about the dangers of uncontrolled deforestation and its impact on communities and ecosystems.
In conclusion, "After the Stumps" is not only a work of cinematic art, but also a powerful form of activism, a call to action to protect Romania's precious nature and to support those voices that have not given up fighting for our forests and our common future.
