After making films about nature and biodiversity, Cosmin Dumitrache explores the human side of things in his latest documentary, “Hoinari prin Munți.”
After the success of the documentary Wild Romania and other internationally awarded nature productions, director and producer Cosmin Dumitrache returns with a new cinematographic project. "Hoinari prin Munți" (Wanderings Through the Mountains), his latest film, marks a shift in perspective, being the director's first observational documentary centered on the human side. The film explores the deep relationship between man and mountain and offers a meditation on freedom, balance and love, told through the story of two of Romania's most respected mountaineers, Dinu Mititeanu and Marlene Mititeanu. The documentary follows their journey of over five decades on the ridges of the Carpathians and the Alps, from spectacular ascents to reflections on nature and the meaning of a life lived in motion.
The official trailer was launched today and can be viewed below:
The footage captures the couple's remarkable performance: at a stage in life when most people significantly reduce their physical activity, Dinu Mititeanu climbed 33 peaks over 4,000 meters out of the 82 existing in the Alps, all between the ages of 70-80, accompanied by his younger wife.
"Making the documentary is a dream come true. I imagined it since I read Dinu's first two books; that's when the spark ignited to bring this fascinating story to the public, especially since we were also brought together by our common passion for mountains. An essential element of the film was the Mititeanu family's personal archive: we explored six suitcases of slides and dozens of old photo albums, looking for representative images of mountaineering from the '60s to '90s. We also integrated thousands of photos from their blog, documenting tours from the 2000s to the present," says director Cosmin Dumitrache.
The mountain, a second home for Marlene and Dinu Mititeanu
At 86 years old, Dinu remains one of the iconic figures of Romanian mountaineering. Together with Marlene, his life and rope partner, they form one of the longest-lasting and most active mountaineering couples in Romania. Marlene is essential support in every ascent, contributing to documenting routes and transforming technical trails into memorable visual stories for their audience.
"One of the biggest challenges was convincing Dinu and Marlene to be the protagonists of the film. I had to make them understand that their story is the heart of this film. They were afraid that the public would interpret their accounts of the tours they take as a form of boasting. But it is precisely this authenticity and lack of pride that make their message so powerful," adds the director.
Dinu and Marlene add:
"We gradually got used to being increasingly appreciated for the experience we accumulated in the mountains. We became better known in the mountaineering world through recounting our tours on our blog in all seasons. There are hundreds of articles read by thousands, some even by tens of thousands of people. Which pleases us, of course. But we could not have imagined that we would become 'heroes' in a film. At first it was difficult to accept that the film talks so much about us, but now we are happy that people will see what the mountain means to our souls. In the mountains we feel happy, fulfilled and free. We feel at home."
Wanderings through mountains: the geography of passion and longevity
The film's geography reflects the protagonists' passion for exploration: filming took place in the Carpathians - Piatra Craiului, Bucegi, Buila-Vânturarița, Cozia, Parâng, Apuseni, Făgăraș and Cheile Turzii - but also in the Dolomites and Alps, around Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. To complete the protagonists' portrait, the team conducted interviews in Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, Brașov and Bucharest, with mountain guides, climbers and close friends of the couple.
Through this film, Cosmin Dumitrache aims to offer the public an example of longevity and active life, demonstrating the importance of discipline and sport - lessons that Dinu Mititeanu alongside Marlene have been offering for decades through their special connection with the mountain and passion for exploration. At the same time, their story reminds us that responsibility in the mountains begins with caring for one's own safety and continues with respect for nature.
All information about the film can be found on social media accounts - Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
*This is a press release.
