Cinematograful Aproape is a community cinema project that aims to bring the cinematic experience and short films made by young filmmakers to communities that do not have access to cinemas or cultural programmes. Through film screenings followed by facilitated discussions, the project creates contexts for encounter, reflection, and dialogue in spaces where such cultural experiences rarely, if ever, reach. The project has already been implemented at Timișoara Penitentiary, as well as in centres for people with disabilities and social centres for children and young people. In these contexts, film has become a starting point for authentic conversations about emotions, life experiences, and personal perspectives. Another important objective of the project is to support young filmmakers by presenting their short films to diverse audiences, many of whom do not have access to contemporary cinema. In this way, the project creates a bridge between emerging cinematic creation and communities that rarely have the opportunity to come into contact with such productions. The project is coordinated by Andrei Mărgineanu, cultural manager, and Sara Pongrac, curator of the film selection and assistant coordinator. The team is completed by collaborators responsible for the technical side, translation, and communication.

ȘI pitch is a networking and professional development program aimed at emerging artists. Its goal is to support young creators in identifying public and private funding opportunities, as well as in building partnerships with cultural institutions and associations.

For this first edition, three projects were selected, which the teams will present to experts in the cultural field. Each presentation is followed by a Q&A session, as well as panel discussions led by representatives from OISTAT Romania, Fundația 9, the Creative Europe Desk Romania and AFCN.

Through this framework for dialogue, ȘI pitch aims to open up opportunities for collaboration and facilitate young artists’ access to the resources necessary for developing their projects.