At the end of the 1990s, Gică Enache, a Romanian citizen belonging to the Roma minority, became disillusioned with the modern way of life. In its place, he opted for a Waldenesque existence with his family in the heart of the urban wilderness of the Văcărești Delta, a vast and abandoned swampy area on the outskirts of Bucharest. Living in this place for almost 20 years, cut off from the city’s toxic temptations and yet located at arm’s length from its busy streets, Gică perceived the decision as one of the best he had ever made, even though his wife and six children were devoid of the basic conveniences of contemporary life.

His dream collapsed when the Delta was declared a natural reserve and subsequently turned into the largest urban park in the European Union, resulting in the forced re-integration of the Enaches into the city life they had half-forgotten, or, in the case of the young children, never knew. Luckily, former investigative journalist Radu Ciorniciuc was there with his crew and camera to document their often painful journey. This became Acasă, My Home, a beautiful, thoughtful and utterly heart-breaking film that has been nominated for this year’s European Film Award for Best Documentary.

Dariusz Kuźma: The Enaches seem every documentary film-maker’s dream come true – truly unique people whose turbulent