Arrivederci from Brussels to Rome via Paris

The Moldovan movie Arrivederci produced by Valeriu Jereghi became subject of discussion and admiration in a number of European capital cities, Info-Prim Neo reports. In Paris, the producer and the movie’s theme were presented to the public by Violeta Gritcan, who represents the Cultural Initiative Group - Connexion Moldavie. She praised the film crew for its civil position and skillfulness. In his welcoming speech, Valeriu Jereghi thanked all those that helped screen the movie in the capital of France. He said that this is the fourth public screening. Before coming to Paris, the movie was shown in the European Parliament in Brussels. “It was a great pleasure for me to find out that Arrivederci is the only feature film in Europe about children abandoned as a result of human trafficking," Jereghi said. "An emotive film might solve more problems than the diplomatic corps. Therefore, I’m sure that the movie must be seen by as many Moldovans as possible, first of all by those that went abroad,” the producer said. Valeriu Jereghi has told Info-Prim Neo that he was pleased to see the many posters about the movie placed in different areas of Paris and that the young people there knew about the previous discussions with the European MPs, including about the project to create an International Association that would support Moldova, as well as Ukraine, Serbia, Romania and other countries, in their efforts to deal with abandonment and trafficking in persons. According to Violeta Gritcan, at the end of the screening, the producer and the crew, especially the little actors Ion and Mihaela Babenco, were given a round of applause. The movie aroused heated discussions among the spectators, which proves that it leaves no one indifferent. Presently, the film crew is in Italy, where they will visit several towns, including Rome. Moldovan national Ina Ciubotaru, who has been working in Italy for eight years, stated to the agency that she found out about the screening in Italy on the Internet. “We, those that work in Italy, came together to see this movie that shows the pains of our nation. We consider that the film should also be shown at home because this is the problem of those that left and of those that remained,” Ina Ciubotaru said. At the Parliament’s sitting on Monday, February 2, the MP of the Democratic Party Igor Klipii proposed watching Arrivederci at Tuesday’s meeting. “I suggest watching this movie so that we have a major subject already analyzed before the start of the election campaign,” Klipii said. But his proposal was not put to the vote by the Head of Parliament Marian Lupu because there was no relevant draft decision. Lupu said yet that the MPs can see the film during the meetings held by the parliamentary groups. In this connection, Valeriu Jereghi said that he is open to cooperate with the Moldovan parliamentarians. ”We are not affiliated politically; we promote the interests of the country,” Jereghi said. When back home after the tour through Europe, the movie will be screened in Moldovan cinemas between February 12 and 15. It is in Romanian and will be subtitled in Russian. The full-length film Arrivederci is a true story about the tragedy of two children whose mother works abroad. The two children are real characters living in a village in central Moldova. The movie was produced at Prim-Plan Studio by director and operator Valeriu Jereghi and his team composed of: Andrei Mudrea (scenography), who also played a part in the movie, Andrei Baluta (montage), Mihai Danila (film director), Oleg Grinko (assistant director) and Olga Pudnev (artistic picture). The key roles were played by brother and sister Ion and Mihaela Babenco. Prim-Plan Studio thanks the European Parliament, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Moldova, the Women’s Association of Moldova, Air Moldova Airline and Moldova-Film Studio for the assistance offered in the presentation of the movie in Europe and in Moldova. The informational support in Moldova is offered by Info-Prim Neo, Noutati-Moldova, RIA Novosti Moldova, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Timpul, www.allmoldova.md. www.ladyclub.md. Arrivederci won the Top Prize of the Euro-Asian Forum in Moscow in November last year.