CALGARY BASED DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER
Daniela Apostoaei is an award-winning film director and holds her Bachelor's Degree in Law. After 3 years of practicing in the field of civil litigation and commercial disputes, her passion for helping people turned into a filmmaking career that could inspire social change. Her work is shining light into dark corners, finding hope by addressing social justice themes, healing, and transformation.
Since 2011 Daniela Apostoaei has begun producing and directing her own documentaries that were broadcasted on TV Channels in Germany, Romania, Canada, and China. Her documentaries: “Enfance au Tranchant du Bistouri" ( France, 2012), "Ticket For Two Lives" (Canada, 2014), "The Boyash" (Canada, 2015), “Another Little Romania" (Canada, 2016), “The Maple Dream”(2017) were awarded and nominated in film festivals in Honolulu, Hong Kong, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, and Romania.
She has been collaborating with the film director Mark W. Travis from Los Angeles, USA since 2016, which is well known as the “Director of Directors”. She learned from him that: ”Engaging stories can inspire positive change in ourselves and how we view the world and we, as storytellers can only be ourselves”.
Her collaborations also include local Alberta artists such as Ryan Stockert, a producer at Thunder and Light Studios, Ella Clarens, journalist and influencer, Jill Maria, actress, Romulus Boieru, music producer, Codrut Miron, editor and senior graphic designer at Project 2211 and others.
In 2017 Daniela Apostoaei launched at the International Book Fair, “Gaudeamus” in Bucharest, Romania her bilingual poetry book “Blue Embrace”, translated by Codrut Miron.
As a writer, Daniela worked collaboratively with the American children book writer Annie Glenn in the narrative version of the book “The Daffodils’ Diary", 2017-2018. She also worked as an assistant translator for the book "A Blue Subtle Fall", 2018 written by prof. George Coanda.
VIBES OF ROMANIAN MUSIC ON TVRi
Daniela Apostoaei is a member of Alberta Media Productions Industries Association (AMPIA, Canada), Women in Film and Television (WIFTA, Canada), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), The Canadian Freelance Union (UNIFOR, Canada) as well as the Union of Professional Journalists of Romania (UZPR).
Screen captures throughout the online streaming of our documentary "Tiny Bukovina from Canada"-"Mica Bucovina din Canada". Its premiere was on TVR International Channel.
Thank you all for the contribution: Codrut Miron-editor, Ovidiu Pop -musical producer, Andrea Apostoaei Hozan, Les Lutic,George Moss, Daryl Toma, Mircea Panciuk and others
Q AND A WITH DANIELA
Q 1- Tell us more about your most recent documentary “Tiny Bukovina from Canada". How did you come up with this story?
A- I have always been passionate about people’s stories and their life experiences. This film brings to life some amazing stories, ones I never imagined could be living. Every year, thousands of people around the world make Canada their home. Though the reasons for leaving their homeland may vary - poverty, war, social issues, better future or just because they wanted to try something new - every story of immigration is worth telling because there bring changes, new beginnings, hopes, and struggles. “Tiny Bukovina from Canada” is a kind of story that captivates us through the people’s direct experiences and life transformations.
Interview with George Moss, President of the romanian candieni society in Alberta, Canada #MpRPRomania. Daniela Cupse Apostoaei at Romanian Pioneer Museum of Boian.
Q2 - What is the film about?
A -The film reveals the history of the first immigrants of Alberta, of a Romanian-Ukrainian background, who came here from Bukovina, a territory in Eastern Europe that was part of the former Austro-Hungarian empire in the 19th century, later back to Romania in 1918. These pioneers settled North of Edmonton in an area they named Boian, after their home town. The harsh conditions they lived in, their hopes and dreams that they had or the hopes that kept them alive are some of the testimonies told by their 3rd or 4th generations of their predecessors, 120 years later.
Interview with the parish priest of the orthodox church in boian village, Alberta, mircea panciuk. Daniela Cupse Apostoaei, Les Lutic and Destiny Productions at Romanian Pioneer Museum of Boian.
The Echo of the public applause after the vibes of Romania music concert will remain in our hearts for a long time. Thank you, dear friends for your participation and support and we are looking forward to other upcoming events that we will organize.
Q3- How important is this film for Alberta and Albertans?
A - I would capture this best by the following saying from the film: “if you do not know where are you coming from, you do not know where you are going.” This is true for us as human beings. We are longing to know who we really are, what our place in the world is, why we are here, where we are coming from and where we are going to. I would say, it is a deep desire written in our souls. Even if the film reveals the roots of a community whose pioneers settled here 120 years ago, the story has the same meaning for us generations later: we are all part of a heritage, we all have cultural roots, we all have dreams and hopes we are trying to keep alive when faced with ups and downs. It seems as though we need to know that our life is worth living, that we are loved and we can love and that we are never alone. This truth is what carries us onward in our life and the truth on which the future generations will stand. We are all part of the same family, a diversified one, no matter the color of our skin, the language we speak, the prayer we pray. We are all human beings and each life story is unique; it is a wonderful story that people need to hear about.
Q 4-When the Albertans would be able to watch the film ?
A - The film has already been distributed in Europe through the TVR International Channel. I am also planning to launch the film here in Alberta in a musical and poetry event organized this Summer in collaboration with other local artists, just to mention a few: the saxophonist CK Sax, who is celebrating his 20th year as musician, live Sax and DJ, the tenor Valentin Borsu, whose vocal timbre has a distinctive beauty, Mellisa Avila, a talented choreographer, dancer and others.
Daniela Apostoaei, Film Director for "The Boyash", Gold Kahuna Award for Documentary Short Competition in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Codrut Miron
Video Editor / Graphic Designer
Codrut Miron has over 18 years of experience in multimedia production work. His background as Visual Communicator from Montclaire, NJ, helped his work in the advertising industry for 7 years in New York City, and 11 years in Canada. Codrut’s main focus has been on Graphic Design, Multimedia, Web Design, and Video editing.
He edited the documentaries: The Boyash (“Rudarii”, 2015, Directed by Daniela Apostoaei) officially selected to compete in the Pinneapple Underground Film Festival in Hong Kong, China (PUFF) 2015. The editor was awarded in recognition of excellence in filmmaking with Silver Palm Award, Documentary Short Competition at the Mexico International Film Festival, 2016. He also received the Gold Kahuna Award for Editing at Honolulu Film Awards 2016.
Codrut Miron’ credits also include: “Enfance au tranchant du bisturi” Director Daniela
Apostoaei, which received The Second Prize at Gala for Television Productions Awards, 2016, Romania, “Ticket for Two Lives”, 2015, Director Daniela Apostoaei broadcast on Shaw TV Canada, the project “Operation Backpack”, 2015 selected in Top 20 finalists for Roy W. Dean Grants at From The Heart Productions, California, the documentary “Another Little Romania“ (2018), and a Short “The Maple Dream”, which qualified in the top 7 shorts at the Feel Foreign Canada contest 2016.