Taking the Sex Shop to Transylvania

I've just returned from Cluj, Romania -- in the heart of Transylvania -- for the Comedy Cluj International Film Festival. Transylvania seems like a rather unexpected place for Europe's largest comedy film festival (horror may be what first comes to mind), but Cluj is a real fun-loving college town and very much went against any stereotyped expectations I may have had. Unlike the movies, there was no horse drawn carriage to meet me at the airport. Though I did see far more people at night than in the day-time hours (!) I spent 4 days exploring the city, hanging out with filmmakers, and showing "Red Light Revolution". It turns out Romania has quite a few sex shops, but they are mostly only open in the day-time. One of the things I learnt during my trip is that the Transylvanian accent we hear in vampire movies doesn't exist, folks don't talk like that at all! An official government building hangs the festival poster. The closing gala was a serious affair with the host giving a long off-the-cuff lecture on the nature of comedy and the voices he hears in his head. Was bizarre but very memorable. Red Light screened for the first time in a converted synagogue. Here's me, the doll, and participating filmmakers from Munich. Closing night party with filmmakers. Cluj has some very interesting old architecture. And retro public telephones. Would be a great location to shoot a spy movie set in the 60's.

Very cool alley-ways, a real cinematic town.

Overall an amazing trip and a very fun festival, thoroughly recommended.