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Across The River

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Imagine a world where borders couldn't hold back dreams. This is the true story of a woman who defied everything, escaped a regime, and found her voice in the echoes of silence.

The Summary

Across The River is based on a true story set in the mid-1980s about a young girl born in communist Romania. After her free-spirited father kills himself, she decides to follow her true desires, embarking on the most dangerous journey of her life. Together with her new husband Tudor, her best friend Andrei, and his wife Ioana, they plot a creative escape from their oppressive homeland. On foot, they make their way through Europe.

 

The journey starts just after the fall of the Berlin Wall and takes them through Poland, Germany (including recently ex-communist territories), and finally to Belgium. With little money, some valuables, and a very loose plan, they must be creative and improvisational, devising cover stories to avoid being detained or shot by authorities. Along the way, they find new friends, build relationships, and fall in love.

 

The authenticity of this story comes from he writers's real-life experiences before and during her journey across Europe. The narrative vividly details their perilous crossing of the freezing border river from Poland to Germany at night, their arrest by a communist officer, and Adria’s uncomfortable wedding night without any prior sexual education.

 

Not only do we delve into the mind of a young girl rebelling against patriarchy and giving the communist system he rmiddle finger, but we also learn about day-to-day life in communist Romania. The story touches on everything from illegal underground movie nights and queuing for food rations on Sunday mornings to more serious topics like misogyny, corruption, sexual shaming, and racism.

 

Despite the heavy "The Great Escape" type themes, this story is also a love story. We witness Adria fall in love with her husband, whom she proposed to only after learning that married couples had a better chance of being accepted into an asylum.

 

At its core, Across The River is about having the strength to follow your heart and intuition, rising against those who imprison you. It’s inspiring, empowering, and still highly relevant today. While the topics may be dark and daunting, the tone is light, funny, and fiery. The young adult's imagination and blind courage in seeking a better life keep readers anxious and on the edge of their seats, wondering if their journey will end well.

This story transcends borders and cultures to underscore a universal truth: our shared humanity. It serves as a poignant reminder that despite our diverse backgrounds and appearances, our fundamental struggles, desires, and needs remain unchanged.

 

By delving into the journey of Adria and her companions, we are compelled to recognize the common threads that bind us all together, regardless of geographic or cultural divides.

 

At its core, this narrative challenges us to confront the barriers of fear and division that hinder our collective progress. It urges us to strive for understanding, empathy, and unity, emphasizing that until we bridge these divides, we are condemned to repeat the same self-destructive patterns indefinitely.

 

Through the lens of Adria's story, we are prompted to reflect on our own biases, prejudices, and misconceptions, fostering a deeper sense of interconnectedness and compassion for our fellow human beings.

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The Why

The Players  

Extracts

Coming soon...

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