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Occasional Spies

Documentary, 2021 · Directed by Oana Giurgiu · Director of Photography: Alex Gâlmeanu Occasional Spies revisits a particular episode of the Second World War and is constructed primarily from staged photographic reconstructions rather than conventional moving footage. Across ten shooting days—from Bucharest and Oradea to the Transylvanian mountains and the plains of Teleorman—I created more than 48,000 images under film-production conditions. Approximately 2,000 photographs were used in the final edit, accounting for around 80% of the film’s visual material, alongside archival photographs, period footage and testimonial interviews. The film premiered at the Transilvania International Film Festival in 2021 and was subsequently screened at Astra Film Festival, TIFF Oradea and CineFest Miskolc. Following its Bucharest gala premiere and Romanian theatrical release in 2022, Occasional Spies received Best Documentary at both the UCIN Awards and the Gopo Awards in 2023.

Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing people in period clothing beside a train on a city street. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a man in a striped suit and hat standing beside a train. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a uniformed man seen through the reflections of a vehicle window. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a soldier aiming a rifle, with another figure behind him. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a military jeep travelling along a forest road through a cloud of dust. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing an officer driving an open-top car with passengers. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a group carrying luggage across a shallow forest stream. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a man in a cap leading a group along a woodland path. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing several people attending to a person lying on the ground. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing two uniformed men walking through a mountain village. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a jeep approaching a group outside wooden houses at dusk. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing villagers and a jeep framed through an open vehicle window. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing several men carrying a large wooden crate through a courtyard. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a woman seated beside an open car door, her face lowered into shadow. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a group of uniformed men gathered inside a crowded room. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a man seated alone in a dark, sparsely furnished room. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing uniformed men gathered around a table inside a wooden cabin. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a group preparing a meal over a campfire beside a lake. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a person milking a cow in a rural landscape beside the water. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
Black-and-white photographic reconstruction from Occasional Spies showing a uniformed man seated against a wall beneath a large projected shadow. Photography by Alex Gâlmeanu.
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