In a world dominated by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, storytelling is evolving. While these platforms offer instant engagement and viral trends, they often prioritize quick, attention-grabbing content over deep, meaningful narratives. Has the rise of short-form content diminished the art of storytelling? Valuable content isn’t defined by the number of views or viral potential, but rather its ability to make an impact. It’s about telling stories that resonate, teach lessons, create empathy, and leave lasting impressions. In contrast to trends, valuable content is timeless. 

Join the next Transylvania Lectures discussion as we explore the differences between short films and social media videos, the impact of short-form content on storytelling, and why the art of narrative remains crucial in cinema.  

Our invited speaker will be Mariam Hamdy, an independent filmmaker, lecturer, film programmer, and festival organizer with over 15 years of teaching experience at the American University in Cairo. She currently lectures in the master’s program at Babeș-Bolyai University, specializing in festival studies, film theory, and Arab cinema. She is an independent filmmaker and dubbing voice artist featured on platforms like Netflix, DreamWorks, and Disney+. She is the co-founder of the Pasaje International Film Festival in Bistrița, and founder of Silverscreen Film School in Cluj-Napoca. Additionally, she has extensive experience as a film programmer, contributing to the curation of various international festivals. Mariam’s expertise spans both the creative and business sides of the film industry, blending artistic expression with marketing and entrepreneurship. Her mission is to support new voices in film, bridge cultures through cinema, and create platforms for meaningful storytelling. 

The moderator of the discussion will be Blanka Székely, a television journalist with 17 years of experience as a reporter, editor and anchor. She is a graduate of Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Theatre and Film, holds a second degree in Linguistics and a master's degree in American studies. She has worked at the Transylvanian Hungarian Television and MTVA, Hungary's state public media company. She has also worked as an editor of Transylvania Now and as anchor of the online talk-show and podcast of Médiatér: Nézőpont. Her reports have been awarded at several national and international television and film festivals, and in 2022 she was awarded the Jenő Janovics Prize by the Transylvanian Hungarian Culture Association. 

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