It all started back in the pandemic times, when we were looking to stay close to each other but still be safe and in the comfort of our homes. A lifetime ago, we know. Now, there are two clubs that provided us with memorable movies and great conversation-starter books all through 2023.
Read on to get some inspiration for the Holidays from our 2023 list of movies & books.
Movie Club 2023 Selection
The movie club was the first one to appear, at a time when we turned to entertainment and art for comfort and connection. I’d say it was a great choice, but of course, I am biased. Our trusted partner, Flux, was there to suggest and organize it from the very beginning.
I am passionate about movies, especially those categorized as art/author/festival films, call them what you will. I’ve been following this area for 25 years, keeping up with new releases, and certain directors, and guiding myself based on awards given at festivals. Living in Cluj, I am fortunate to have the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) and the two art cinemas (Victoria and Arta). That’s one aspect. The second is that I enjoy sharing what I discover and find exciting. This is how the Movie Club at Altom was born, a company I have been collaborating with for many years. There, my passion for film resonated with others, quite a few of them. I am grateful that they accepted my proposals, watched films, and openly and curiously discussed them. Unconsciously, it became one of my favorite evenings of the month. Personally, I felt very enriched after these meetings, where we all made the effort to dialogue, to argue, to put into words what otherwise often remains very vague, and unclear.
Mihai Mateiu, Cultural Manager @ Flux
As I mentioned before I am biased, and that’s because I’ve always wanted to be part of a movie club, and now I finally am. One of the things that brings me the most joy is the talks we have after we watch the movie. I always leave these meetings with new ideas, with questions that have been answered, and with new perspectives.
Here they are, the movie club 2023 selection:
- 🎬 Buena Vista Social Club (1999) | Directed by Wim Wenders
- 🎬 Close (2022) | Directed by Lukas Dhont
- 🎬 Joker (2019) | Directed by Todd Phillips
- 🎬 Shoplifters (2018) | Directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu
- 🎬 Paris, 13th District (2021) | Directed by Jacques Audiard
- 🎬 Primo Amore (2004) | Directed by Matteo Garrone
- 🎬 Metronom (2022) | Directed by Alexandru Belc
- 🎬 The Guilty (2021) | Directed by Antoine Fuqua
- 🎬 The worst person in the world (2021) | Directed by Joachim Trier
Book Club 2023 Selection
2023 started with a new Trello board and Slack channel all belonging to the book club. Mihai inspired us to talk often about our passions and to encourage each other to do more of what we like. It was just a matter of time until this new club arrived since there are so many altoms that love to read.
The idea came about in a random conversion among the more vocal book lovers and then became a reality once we noticed so many of us were willing to take the challenge and read together.
What I like most about #AltomBookClub is the variety of books. The fact that everyone proposes titles for reading, thus getting to read genres that I might usually not approach, or which wouldn’t be my first choice. I like that I discover different opinions and new perspectives with every book that we discuss and debate. I like that I also discover new authors or books that are not so well known to a wide audience. I like that I can “promote” the authors and books that I personally like. It all motivates me to make reading a habit, a constant in my days because I know there’s also a deadline. I appreciate that I can say “I didn’t like this one” or “Hey, I didn’t understand anything from this book” and be perfectly OK, even more so, it raises new subjects of conversation.
Georgiana Cîrdeiu, Book whisperer @ Altom
I love that the others decide what I’ll get to read. 😅
Alex Rotaru, Trustful and dedicated reader @ Altom
Besides discovering new authors, I like that me and my colleagues get to know each other better. We discover each other through our preferences and through all the discussions, interpretations, and emotions we get to have at our book club gatherings. Also, I like that, thanks to these conversations, I become more aware of the way a book has been written, not only of its content.
Dolores Pente, Book enthusiast @ Altom
Here they are, the book club 2023 selection:
- 📖 Coraline, by Neil Gaiman. Dave McKean (illustrator)
- 📖 When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress, by Gabor Maté
- 📖 Repetiţie pentru o lume mai bună (transl. Repetition for a better world), by Mihai Radu
- 📖 Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah
- 📖 Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro
- 📖 Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, by Vivek H. Murthy
- 📖 În creștere (transl. Growing), by Mihai Mateiu
- 📖 Bittersweet, by Susan Cain
- 📖 Three Apples Fell from the Sky, by Narine Abgaryan
- 📖 Educated, by Tara Westover
- 📖 Beartown, by Fredrik Backman
Have you watched or read any of them? Let us know in the comments below, and if you have any recommendations do share them with us.