Everything Worth Counting (From the Meadows of Izvoarele)

It’s 1977 in Zimnicea, Romania.

An earthquake has reduced the home of ten-year-old Alex to rubble, taking with it his father and his best friend.

Left with only each other, Alex and his mother Eva, are forced to rebuild their lives from the ruins.

With Ceaușescu tightening his grip on a fearful nation, they take refuge at his grandparents’ home in a small village amidst meadowed hills.

Alex finds comfort in the care of his grandparents and the traditions of rural Romania, while Eva is quietly preparing for something far more dangerous: escape.

Inspired by real events, this story captures the heartbreak of loss, the value of tradition, and the enduring hope of a migrant mother and son determined to build a better life from the ashes.