Maria Toma, 16 – Oradea 2007 
This week we have learned from each other. Coordinators taught us how to make a film, and they learned how to become children once again.”

Emanuel Floris, 17 - Oradea 2007
I'll start with a quotation I read in the center where they accommodated us. "Young people are the sun or the storm of tomorrow". I don't know how easy you thought it was to work with us, but it certainly was very easy for us. I realized from the very beginning that it was going to be very nice - and indeed it was. This creation camp / film workshop was - at least for me - something really wonderful. I had the opportunity to collaborate, to learn, to work with fully dedicated people, who demonstrated to us, the younger ones, that we also counted, that our opinion also counted.
I don't think I'll ever be able to forget - and anyway I don't think I would like that - all the beautiful moments we spent together, our adventures during shooting sessions, the long hours in the editing room… All these have charmed me and for a few days I was able to dream that I was a director, a cameraman, an actor etc. I was able to dream and this is the thing that really matters. Now I don't have to wonder: "How would it be like to make a film?" Leaving aside all the experience we have accumulated during this camp/workshop, we bonded together, we became friends and this is more important than anything else. At first, we were 20 kids from Oradea and 4 coordinators. We really didn't know too much about each other. But in the end… Well, in the end we were not simply the 20 kids and 4 coordinators; we knew each other's names and even fragments of each other's lives - and there is nothing you can compare with that. I used to think there were no miracles in this world. I used to think God was the only one who could perform a miracle. Well, I was wrong about one thing: there are miracles in this world, miracles performed by people for other people, and you guys performed a genuine miracle for us!

Maria Nica, 17 – Oradea 2007
These past few days were so cool! I really missed something like that. I find it hard to go back to my regular life now. We had a lot to learn from the people who guided and supported us. I would have never thought I would get to a place where I could find people who are SO patient, so encouraging and never saying "no". They always find a possibility, a way out. They always have time for everything. They never miss a thing. I really liked this workshop. Here is something I never thought I'd be able to do: make a film. I really liked this last evening a lot. The first day had seemed a bit weird. It had given me a totally different impression from the one I have today, when we leave. I never thought it could be so interesting. I never thought I could get to miss these days. We are still here, yet I already miss them! Maybe I shouldn't be sad about this thing ending. I should be happy it happened! They say every ending is a new beginning. Who knows? Maybe it's true. I'm sure it is. I'm sure I still have a lot to learn, and I believe each and every experience of this kind can help us - the little and inexperienced ones - in choosing the right way, getting to know as much as possible, being able to make our choices. Once we have a broad horizon, we can choose. Yes, this is how I am… Maria

Alexandru Pop, 17 – Oradea 2007
These days we spent together were wonderful, because we learned a lot: now we can direct, shoot and edit a film. Also, we got new friends and we are going to keep them. It was an unforgettable experience that I will always cherish.

Larisa Cherecheanu, 18 – Oradea 2007
Can I call you "my friend”? I want to call you “my friend”! My dear friend, It all ended sooner than I expected, and it was all so much more beautiful that I could have hoped… I got here at a time when I was experiencing a sort of personality crisis, let's say. I had no idea where to get my energy from and how I could go on. My feeling was best expressed by Ana Blandiana's poem “Bătrâni şi tineri” (Old People, Young People): “Oh, God, please tell me where to settle down / When all these ages are strangers to my soul. / The kid I am is so scared / And searching for a time that is white-haired. ” Well, once I got here and started working, I turned my gaze upon myself, as if looking into a mirror. I was able to find myself once again, I cleared my thoughts and now I feel I can start my way in life!!! As for this camp… Another mission accomplished! It's great to find the right people, in the right place… We were all equal here, which is something I long to feel in my everyday life... Of course, each of us wants his or her film to be as highly ranked as possible. Even if this won't happen to my film, I know I did my best… and I am really happy about that! I guess when I thank God for offering me this chance, I actually thank you, the people who still BELIEVE IN CHILDREN!!! I am happy! See you soon, Larisa

Manuela Silaghi, 17 – Oradea 2007
Let me start with a 'Hi! How are you?' addressed to my readers. This week was something really huge for me. I learned a lot, first and foremost from our coordinators, who were so patient, so extremely patient with us. They taught us interesting things about films, but we were also able to talk to them about other things, not only films - and all this made us have a great time with them. We actually learned from each other and it was a real joy to get the opportunity to meet new people. It was gorgeous! I can hardly wait for the next workshop. It was a great joy and a great honor for me to meet you… I mean for us all to meet each other. Lots of happiness and good health to everyone! Good luck!

Marian Balint, 17 – Oradea 2007
Positive impressions: the film equipment; the editing equipment - the Macs; the project coordinators, who were totally dedicated; accumulating new information. Negative impressions: the egoistic behavior of some people who only thought of their own film, and nothing else.

Cătălin Mut, 15 – Oradea 2007
I really enjoyed myself these days, with my friends. Excellent collaboration. Everything went out just as we wanted. It was all great and very easy, all of us managed to do what we wanted to do.

Mihaela Caba, 18 – Oradea 2007
At first, it all looked rather confuse: writer's block, our inability to turn words into images, my 'fear' that I would not be able to finalize a short film in a matter of only a few days. The technology they provided, but especially the people have generated an imperceptible transformation: space and time turned into an art workshop: discussions… ideas… artists! I really liked directing and I really liked the cameras behind which I was working. It was interesting to learn how to think in images, how to feel that a part of each and everyone is art - although not all of us enact upon that. "Life is art." You can express your own opinion about life, your own personality and creativity within no more than a tiny little minute... I understood that my two dimensions - medicine and art - are able to coexist... IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE!

Petricaş Alexandru, 18 – Oradea 2007
In my opinion, these days were really helpful for us. First and foremost, we learned a lot of new things, like writing a script, directing a film, acting, shooting like a cameraman… Secondly, we made new friends, we spent seven days together - with their good things and bad things, just like a family.

Gabriel Nica, 15 ani – Oradea 2007
I have a great opinion about this week dedicated to "One Minute of Adolescence". I think… I am certain I will never forget it. We had a great time, although we had "to work". I am really glad I was part of this gathering, and I would be happy to participate again whenever they would ask me. I learned a lot, but I also had a great time. I think this initiative is a great, especially with four nice and highly skilled people like Effie, Anca, Rodica and Niel. I want to thank you for all the new things we learned and I do hope you enjoyed your staying in Oradea! A text by Gabriel

Loredana Căvăşdan, 17 – Oradea 2007
Un unforgettable experience, considering I met professional adults and kids (colleagues) who gradually became my friends. I learned something I never thought I could have the opportunity to learn. It's something unique, very beautiful and completely new. From shooting (the coolest part, in my opinion) to editing (the trickiest part, in my opinion), making a one minute film is not easy. It's not that easy to make a one minute film, although it seems rather corny, at first sight. I can say I learned a lot and I will never regret I was here. Rodica, Anca, Effi and Neil, thank you very much for being so patient with us… with me… I hope everything turned out just as you wanted. All the best and may all your future missions be accomplished! I think you're doing something really great! Keep up the good work! Loredana

Florina Albu, 20 – Oradea 2007
Dear coordinators and colleagues, I wish you all good health and lots of joy and I want you to know I will really miss you. Maybe we will never see each other again, but I am really happy I got to meet you. I would like you all to be my friends! Love, Florina

Alexandra Mătuşan, 15 – Oradea 2007
I never expected to succeed and make things so well! I am really happy about my accomplishment, I really learned a lot of new things. I am so proud!!!!

Manuela Mariana Moroz, 17 - Iaşi 2007 
Although at first I didn't know anybody else, and the only thing I wanted was to get out of there as quickly as possible, along the way I started realizing that I really liked it there and I did not want to leave anymore. There were only 8 days, but during these 8 days I laughed, I cried, I learned about making a film, I met new people and I made new friends. After these 8 days, I went back to something I had quit one year ago: writing. Now I can write anything and it comforts me to do that. Before going to this camp, I wanted to become a film director, but I knew almost nothing about this profession. Now I got some experience and I like it, even if at first it was a bit harder. This was a beautiful experience that I will never forget. I want to thank the organizers and all the people who participated in this camp.

Chirascu Alina, 17 - Iaşi 2007 
"I really enjoyed this creation workshop! I got a lot of beautiful memories and when the workshop ended, I didn't want to leave anymore, because I had so many friends there! I can hardly wait to meet them again in Bucharest, at the Film Festival!"

Laura  Plugaru , 14 - Iaşi 2007 
“During this camp I learned how to use a photo camera and a video camera. I had the opportunity to present my thoughts in a one-minute film. I met some special people here, who treated me just like one of the other children - which I certainly hadn't expected!”

Mihuţ Enikő – 17 - Oradea 2007
“The Life of a Garbage Bin”
I am a garbage bin. Every day, people throw their garbage in me. There are people rummaging around in me, they are throwing their garbage in me; if they find anything they need, they take it out of me and bring it home with them. I have no reasons to complain, because I know there is garbage in me.
Due to personal reasons, he never made his film… We can only imagine how his film would have been like...                                

Florin Vârlan, 16 – Petroşani 2007 
"The happiest day of my life"
The happiest day of my life was the day I met Eminescu. Once I met him, I always wanted to have him with me. I could do that by reading his poems. As soon as I had a moment to spare, I was ready to meet him again. I took my book and ran far away from the rest of the world, eager to spend some time alone with him. All the beauties of this earth were insignificant when compared to his words.
I visited his home. I lived his childhood, I listened the singing of the creek with him, I watched the deer with him, and together we amazed the forest and were rivals in our fight for our sweetheart - the Nature.
Then, one day, Eminescu asked me: "Why don't you write something yourself?” I got scared! But Eminescu didn't give up; he convinced me. He also told me: "Whenever you feel sad or misunderstood, run away into the forest. Search for the light, bring it into your heart, then take it and pour it into your words." This is how I also started writing. I finished my poetry volume "The Green Field", and I want to thank him with all my heart. The happiest day of my life was the day I met Eminescu.
Due to personal reasons, he never made his film…

Teodora Marian, 18 – Oradea 2007
Looking back on my days during the short film project, I must say I am really happy I had the opportunity to get involved. At first, I didn't know too much about what was going to happen. I simply knew I liked theater and cinema, that I would have the opportunity to live this passion of mine, and that my colleagues and myself were going to get the help of professionals in this field [I should add I got along wonderfully with them, and we made a great team!].  Probably hoping we would socialize more, but also in order to help everybody, the organizers made arrangements for all the participants to be accommodated in the same location. Therefore, I met new people and made new friends; I am confident that many of us are going to further cultivate these friendships. Once we were accommodated, we met "the experts" - people whom at first we were humbly watching from beneath, addressing them as formally as possible. However, we were soon to learn they were wonderful people, willing to help us discover the fascinating world of cinematography, but also willing to get close to us. We even discovered new friends in those people many of us were regarding as some sort of "teachers" - similar to our teachers in school, rigid and encapsulated into an adult world, perhaps demanding, but always distant.
Things couldn't have been more different than that. I recall many funny moments we lived together, which helped us cooperate more easily and relax on a strenuous day. Also during our first "meeting" we learned about our schedule for the following seven days. At first we had to present the idea we wanted to use for our film. This - so to say - 'theoretical' part took two or three days, depending on our own imagination, but also on our ability to define details, which was not so easy, because there is only one small step to take in order to take your idea from paper put it on tape. However, everything needs to be prepared with the utmost care: details such as the light, the background sound, the clothes, the attitude and exact words of the protagonists, and - last but not least - the props. All these need to be prepared before you start shooting. Then, depending on the promptness of the young 'producers' - i.e. us, the beginners in this field - but also depending on the elements necessary for each shooting session, they made a schedule with details regarding each of the short films created by us. Of course, we were supported, assisted and permanently helped by our 'teachers', during collective and individual meetings. They provided us advice (of course, impartial advice) or simply ideas meant to make our tasks easier - but never modifying in any way the format of our short films.
As soon as we started shooting, things became much easier and started rolling much faster, because most of us had clearly defined ideas and could easily work on their film. Also, we were all just one big team, helping each other in any situation, at any given moment.
So without actually realizing it, we finally got to the 'premiere' evening, when we watched together the results of the collective work we had been doing for seven days. We parted the next day, exchanging addresses, phone numbers and promises to keep in touch. These promises will certainly be kept, as we all had a great time - and many of us said they had wanted that experience to last longer.

Alex (19), Alina (18) and Irina (17) – Constanţa 2007  
Camera… Rolling… Action!
On the 16th of July 2007 we discovered a new place in Constanta. Although we were not far away from home, we felt as if in a foreign place. That was “Don Bosco”. To be honest, at first we had no idea about what we were supposed to be doing down there. We met the team and the rest of our colleagues. Looking back on this memory, we can say that week was a unique experience, mainly due to our coordinators, who were so close to us since the very beginning. Although there were certain differences between us (in terms of age, experience etc), they took good care and made us feel as their peers. This was probably the beginning of an exceptional collaboration. Now, sipping a cup of coffee and making a list of opinions, we got the following conclusions: Sorin gets his ideas in a second; Neil is the mysterious type, you have to twist his arm to find out when his birthday is; Luli and Filip are the helpers who always have a new opinion. We don't believe there is anything else we need to add about how we felt back there. It was something really special, and we really wish we could re-live at least half of the fun we had there. In a few words, we want to express our thanks for everything that happened there: you woke up (and helped us wake up!) at four o'clock in the morning for the shooting session, and then you managed to keep us awake in the editing room. Let's not forget about our sacrifices as well: Irina's endurance test; the three days when Alina chased shadows; and Alex, who found it so difficult to wake up…