?Sahia? Studio¹ released theme films. Then they all got started: this can?t be done, that is impossible, he should be kicked out because of this and that; I had a history of making films about young pioneers and about the Pioneers? Palace, and I kept out of the dispute because Liiceanu had stated very clearly: those who had done this and that should stay out of business for five years! Let?s stay out for five years, then ? But I?ve been doing that for fifteen years now and I?ve realized that the right things are still not done. But I?m still out of this business ?

It was a difficult period. By 1989 I had already made a film about the Getae-Dacians and their science. In fact, it was about their calendar system. Then I managed to make a sequel of the film in foreign languages. Around 1992 I made another film about the village of Săpânţa, ?Viaţa în credinţă? (Life through Faith). At the time the village was facing problems caused by some personal interests, which proved petty in the end, of a bunch of wise guys who are now living comfortably in France, in ? And they were destroying everything. There I managed to get a film that would speak about the need for faith to keep the whole society together, and not just as petty interests. I made the film during those street protests ? I went with them, the mayor included, for a drink of palinca (traditional alcoholic drink made from fruit) and all that? I realized then what the deal was with them. And in my film I stressed not only their faith and traditions and that cemetery of theirs and all that. I was still working for ?Sahia? Studio and I took the UNESCO guys with me there.

1 Documentary film studio.
2 The department led by Elena Ceauşescu.