The documentary "The exile from Bessarabia" awarded at a California film festival
The documentary "The exile from Bessarabia," created by journalist and screenwriter Natalia Ghilașcu in collaboration with Sergiu Ene, won an Award of Merit at the 17th edition of the Awareness Film Festival, held from October 13–18 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
The distinction was awarded for the film’s contribution to raising public awareness regarding the Holocaust of the Roma and the suffering caused by the deportations from Bessarabia during the Second World War.
The award further recognises documentary filmmaking from the Republic of Moldova and brings a painful chapter of history—marked by persecution, famine, cold, and disease—back to the American public, reports the platform "Hora in America."
The film reconstructs the experiences of Roma people deported to Transnistrian region in 1942, drawing on the testimonies of survivors and their descendants, supplemented by archival documents and footage.
The documentary aims to preserve the memory of the victims and pass on the experiences of those who endured deportation to future generations. One of the film’s most significant strengths is its value as a historical record, as the interviewees shared experiences they had never even recounted to their own families.
The recordings preserve the voices of witnesses to the tragedy—individuals who can no longer be interviewed—thereby transforming personal recollections into a documentary testament to the persecution of the Roma and its consequences.
International awards and selections
In 2013, the film won Best National Documentary at the "Cronograf" International Documentary Film Festival in Chișinău. More than a decade later, its English-language version, titled "The Exile from Bessarabia," continues to reach international audiences.
The honor received in Santa Monica, USA, follows shortly after another international recognition. On October 11, 2026, the documentary was awarded at the "Activists Without Borders" festival in the United Kingdom.
The production has also been recognized at various other festivals, including the "Documentaries Without Borders" International Film Festival, an international film festival in Germany, the Chicago Women’s Film Festival, and the Berlin Indie Film Festival—an international event dedicated to independent cinema.
The recognition in Santa Monica bolsters the international journey of a documentary production from the Republic of Moldova, which aims to preserve survivors' testimonies and secure their place in historical memory.
