Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF)’s guest of honor, British actress Vanessa Redgrave, who was awarded the lifetime achievement award in European cinematography on Saturday evening, dedicate her prize to the Save Rosia Montana Campaign and especially to the Rosia Montana-based Alburnus Maior non-governmental organization, which is the main opponent of the mining project.
“If my lifetime performance means something it is because I have been a good listener. I’ve always listened to the people who worked hard for the things they believed in. In the name of all those who believe in something, I dedicate this award to Eugen David (Alburnus Maior’s president),” said Redgrave during the TIFF gala.
The British actress said that saving Rosia Montana was not only a local problem, but a problem of the entire world.
“Our planet is dying and we have no right to destroy an ecosystem that would need hundreds of years to recover,” said Redgrave, adding that she had an unpleasant surprise when she heard the film festival was sponsored by Gabriel Resources.
During a press conference organized on Saturday, Redgrave said using cyanide to extract gold was damaging to the environment.
“It is about a natural cycle that cannot be stopped even if you have good intentions and lots of money,” said the actress.
On Sunday Redgrave also met residents of Rosia Montana to personally give them the award and talk to them. As a sign of gratitude, David offered the actress a one square meter-plot of land in the village, thus transforming the actress into a “resident threatened by the expropriation of land.”
“Vanessa is one of us now and she will return to Rosia Montana this year to see her land. Her symbolic gesture gave us energy and we are sure that we will win the fight against Gabriel Resources with people like her on our side,” said David.