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In 2015 I enrolled in a master degree – Documentary Filmmaking at Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Theatre and Television, Cluj-Napoca (Romania). In 2017 I fell in love and returned to my homeland – the Republic of Moldova, a place that looked completely different after 9 years of living abroad. The unexplored potential inspired me to develop film projects with all the knowledge gained abroad.
That dream still follows me – I still believe that one day my native country – the Republic of Moldova – will be known not only for poverty, high rate of migration, lack of infrastructure, the cold conflict from Transnistria that existed for 30 years, and most recently – the danger of a war expanding here, but also for the local talent that sooner or later is going to knock at the doors of the international film industry. Until that happens, I struggle to jump through the windows of the industry and carry with me the other pioneers who believe in the power of documentary film to generate a change in the fields where other instruments have failed.
In parallel with the passion for building a production platform at HaiDOC Productions (where film production goes together with putting a business company that connects the European/International good (healthy) practices from the film industry with the nets of Moldavian bureaucracy), I’m involved in our small community of filmmakers through ALTFilm, an NGO that works as a constructive and critical voice in the process of advocating for changes in the film industry landscape from Moldova. Besides the activities mentioned above, I am also freelancing as a DoP or Producer for international broadcasters (The Guardian, Deutsche Welle, ARTE, or Moldavian media platforms).
After several years of working both in the media and in the non-governmental sector in the field of children’s rights in the Republic of Moldova, Raisa discovered that the documentary field allows her to get to know the characters “with the heart”, because “eyes do not see the essential”, as the Fox says in “The Little Prince” (her favorite book). This need for “the essential” makes her meticulous and detail-oriented, guiding her toward a deeper understanding of the subject she is working on – “only time spent with your flower makes it so precious”.
Raisa embraced the development of her first feature-length documentary film project almost simultaneously with the process of making sourdough bread. These processes ran in parallel in the last years and helped her develop the necessary patience and the ability to capture the small details that often make the difference. A graduate of BDC Discoveries – Balkan Documentary Center, Raisa is following the courses of a Master’s Degree at the State University of Moldova – Philosophy and Cultural Management.
Besides collaborating as a film director with HaiDOC Productions, Raisa is also editing and collaborating with a few Moldavian NGOs that are implementing projects on topics like child sexual abuse, women’s involvement in politics, and employment of people with mental disabilities. In this segment, Raisa is directing and editing video content with a strong documentary approach, but also helping them to implement documentary films in their area of expertise as tools to raise awareness and generate impact through films.
