Călărași – A Land by the Gate of Heaven

As part of the DC Francophonie Cultural Festival, you are invited on Thursday, March 17 starting at 7:00pm to the viewing of “Călărași – A Land by the Gate of Heaven.” The documentary is proudly presented by the Embassy of Moldavia, in partnership with the Embassy of France, and the Smithsonian Associates. The event will take place at La Maison Française – Embassy of France located at 4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC.

The land of Călărași is a very special place. Even though the whole of Moldova is a really charming and beautiful place, Călărași stands out because of its location. The land is situated right in the middle of the “Codrii” (ancient dense woods). This rich and beautiful location, has its own specific priorities: of history, culture, spirituality, ethnography, agriculture, crafts and customs, but also of using the ”Codrii” as a means of defense. Because of ”Codrii”, Călărași was able to resist to all the barbaric invasions that happened in the past. Călărași is situated in the region of a great Basarabian cross, formed by four holy monasteries, Hârjauca, Frumoasa, Hârbovăț și Răciula. And if we look at the Basarabian (Moldovan) map, we can see this huge cross of these four locations.

This ethnographic, folkloric and dramatic documentary received multiple international awards, the most recent from 2021: 1) Best Documentary, World Independent Cinema Awards, WICA New York, 2021 (NY, USA). 2) Europe Best Feature Film, Quetzalcoatl Indigenous International Film Festival 2021 (Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico).

Călărași – A Land by the Gate of Heaven – Directed, written and produced by: Dumitru Grosei; Executive Producer: Arcadie Plăcintă; Cast: Leila Agic, Alice Barbe, Lauren Bastide Produced by: Symbol Media (Moldova), co-produced by Alternative Cinema (Moldova) and Hi-Fi Production (Romania), with the support of the District Council of Călărași. In Romanian with English subtitles.

To reserve tickets please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dc-francophonie-festival-calarasi-a-land-by-the-gate-of-heaven-tickets-276107002477

Each person attending the event must have a ticket registered in their name and a government-issued ID that matches the name on the reservation in order to enter the Embassy. Due to strict security measures, please arrive on time, and allow extra time for security screening.

Starting March 1, 2022, the Embassy of France in the United States celebrates the DC Francophonie Cultural Festival, in association with the embassies of members, associate members and observers of the OIF (International Organization of Francophonie), in order to offer a diverse cultural program, presenting French-speaking films from all over the world. Since 2001, the festival has honored the richness of the French language and French communities, bringing together more than 40 partners including the various embassies, the Alliance Française of Washington DC, as well as the Smithsonian Associates. For more information, please visit: https://www.francophonie-dc.org/

Please note that proof of full vaccination and ID will be required to enter the French Embassy grounds. Masks are required throughout the screening.