FERM 2025 | The film “The Sun of Moldova”, debated in Panel 10, between historical accuracy and artistic freedom
Mesaje publice
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Thematic Panel:
Culture and Regional Identity – Tradition, Innovation, and Social Cohesion
Speakers:
Claudia Stravositu – producer of the film “The Sun of Moldova”
Doru Aftanasiu – actor, National Theatre “Vasile Alecsandri”, Iași
Vitalie Josanu – cultural heritage expert
Debate Theme:
“The Representation of History in Film: Between Documentary Accuracy and Artistic Freedom”
Panel 10 – “Culture and Regional Identity – Tradition, Innovation, and Social Cohesion” brought forward an intense discussion about the relationship between history, art, and cultural responsibility. The producer of the film “The Sun of Moldova”, Claudia Stravositu, actor Doru Aftanasiu (National Theatre “Vasile Alecsandri” Iași), and cultural heritage expert Vitalie Josanu engaged in a dialogue on how artistic creations inspired by Moldovan history manage to balance fidelity to documents with artistic freedom.
Vitalie Josanu: “The Historical Responsibility Remains Enormous”
Cultural heritage expert Vitalie Josanu began by praising the production team’s effort, highlighting the attention given to details.
“Congratulations. It is a relatively clean film from a historical perspective. I noticed that you were quite careful with details, although some things slipped, and the absence of a scientific consultant can be felt.”
Among his specific observations were the representation of medieval crowns, costumes inappropriate for the season, as well as the inclusion of foods such as tomatoes, peppers, or cozonac, which did not exist in the time of Stephen the Great.
“At the table with the Logothete, I saw something red on the plate. Were those tomatoes? Or peppers? Peppers and tomatoes did not exist at Stephen the Great’s table. And cozonac is a much later recipe.”
At the same time, Vitalie Josanu drew attention to the educational responsibility carried by historical films, in an era when younger generations are reading less and less.
“Unfortunately, Romanian schools do not handle education as they should, and Stephen the Great is almost absent from school curricula. Where should the young generations learn the historical truth from? From films. From TikTok. That is precisely why an enormous responsibility rests on your shoulders when you reproduce or refer to historical truth.”
Claudia Stravositu: “We Are Making Artistic Film, Not Documentary”
Producer Claudia Stravositu responded extensively to the criticism, explaining that certain inconsistencies were deliberate choices, made for dramaturgical, aesthetic, or logistical reasons.
“It is not that we didn’t know what you see on screen; it was exactly my decision, from a dramaturgical and aesthetic perspective. The crown, for example, is one of the four we have evidence for. We had consultants, we had documents, but I chose the version that fit better visually.”
Regarding costumes and props, she emphasized the budget constraints and her wish to avoid the cliché of ‘poverty and mud’ that characterizes Romanian historical films.
“I raised the entire film a bit higher. It should have been more aged, with dirtier costumes, but I didn’t want that. I am tired of Romanian period films in which we only see poverty, mud, and torn clothes. I wanted a project in line with major international productions.”
“Those who know me know I studied history. Every dialogue between characters is historically documented and placed on a factual basis. History professors told me: Madam, how carefully you placed every little phrase with your own hand!”
Doru Aftanasiu: “What Matters Is Artistic Truth”
Actor Doru Aftanasiu, who played a secondary role in the film, emphasized the importance of artistic emotion beyond historical detail.
“It is an artistic film. I only got to watch it today, and I confess it impressed me. Surely, we must start from historical truth, but should we go into every tiny detail? What would Shakespeare’s plays have looked like if he had respected historical truth down to the fingernails? I believe what truly matters is artistic truth.”
Between Historical Truth and Artistic Interpretation: The Film’s Impact
The debate revealed the inevitable tension between historical rigor and artistic freedom. While historian Vitalie Josanu advocated for rigor and educational responsibility, Claudia Stravositu defended the directorial right to aesthetic choices, and Doru Aftanasiu reminded that art is measured in emotion and artistic truth, not only in documentary fidelity.
In conclusion, Claudia Stravositu underlined that such debates themselves reflect the true value of a historical film:
“As long as a film creates debate, it means it has achieved its purpose. Thank you very much!”
Conclusion
The discussion in Panel 10 highlighted the fundamental importance of culture and regional identity in contemporary social dynamics: history is not only heritage but also living material for creation. The film “The Sun of Moldova” succeeds in bringing the past to the attention of today’s public, integrating it into a deliberately documented artistic approach.
Thus, the 19th edition of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova demonstrated that the sustainable development of the region relies not only on infrastructure and economy but also on cultural cohesion and the way communities assume and value their shared memory and heritage.
