Maxim Cîrlan, Founder of the Moldox Festival: “A small dream turned ten, surrounded by a community of people and films.”
“In 2016, many imagined we’d be showing Discovery or History Channel-style films. But once they entered the cinema, they discovered a new world — one with people like us, trying to make a difference in their communities,” says Maxim Cîrlan, founder of Moldox – the Documentary Film Festival for Social Change.
From its first edition to today, Moldox has turned ten. It is now one of the longest-running documentary events in Moldova and a key promoter of documentary film as a vehicle for reflection and change.
The festival grew out of local cultural realities — and the desire to respond to them. During its eight editions held in Cahul, where access to culture was limited, young people were leaving in large numbers, and audiences rarely saw films confronting real-life issues, Moldox matured. Filmmaker and festival director Maxim Cîrlan tells us how the public’s perception has evolved over the years and what’s new for the 10th edition.
“From a small dream to a movement for change”
For Maxim, Moldox’s growth reflects the social and cultural transformation it helped spark. To understand it, one must look at Moldova’s broader film landscape.
In post-Soviet Moldova, creating a film festival was a real challenge. After 1991, as the country transitioned to a market economy, film production declined sharply. Movie-making became rare, the spread of pirated films increased, and many cinemas — especially in the regions — closed. While Moldova had more than 600 screening halls in 1995, only about 14 remain today.
In this fragile context, the National Film Center (CNC) and a few emerging film festivals have become key players in keeping Moldovan cinema alive — Moldox being a prime example. “From a small dream, we reached ten years, surrounded by a community of people and films,” says Maxim.
Most importantly, Moldox has educated audiences — showing them a different kind of cinema, one where ordinary people are the protagonists.
“In 2016, many expected Discovery-style documentaries. But they discovered something new — stories rooted in real life. Today, audiences are much more open and ready to see documentaries as profound artistic and social experiences,” says Cîrlan.
National Competition: Moldovan documentaries on the big screen
Ten years of Moldox also mean ten years of film workshops, where aspiring filmmakers have learned from internationally renowned directors, created their own documentaries, and tested their ideas in European competitions. Out of this experience and the growing Moldox community, a national competition has emerged for the first time.
“A national competition shows that Moldovan films are now strong enough to stand alongside international ones. Our country is on the path to European integration, and with it come new spaces for culture and dialogue,” says Maxim.
This year, Moldox also launched the Green Vine Award for the best Moldovan documentary. Audiences will have the rare chance to see the winning films screened as part of the festival.
The 2025 theme: Chaos – Reinventing Reality
Despite its evolution, one thing remains constant: Moldox is a festival for social change. Each year, it invites us — from the darkness of the cinema hall — to look directly at the issues that define us as a society.
The 10th edition explores “Chaos – reinventing reality.” The selected films address current global and local issues — wars, crises, fragility, digital chaos, freedom of expression, gender equality, and the lives of marginalized groups. They invite reflection on how these forces shape our world and push us to build new rules.
“I can’t even remember when I first started feeling that the world was slipping into chaos — maybe with every new war that erupted, one after another. Even now, I can’t be sure another conflict won’t start before this interview is published. We live in a new era — one of technological revolutions, rapid change, and collapsing old structures. Chaos isn’t new, but today it seems to be invoked to restore order — to shake things up and rearrange them,” says Maxim Cîrlan.
Why attend the 10th edition?
“Because Moldox is a rare opportunity to watch powerful documentaries on the big screen in Moldova — and because each screening offers a chance to discover stories and people that will stay with you for a long time,” says Maxim.
We invite you to join us for the screenings, including films from the national competition, at the Cineplex Emil Loteanu Cinema in Chișinău, 26–30 November 2025.
For the full schedule and ticket information, follow us on Facebook/Instagram and visit moldoxfestival.com.