Electing Ms Santa
DUTCH PREMIERE
In a remote Moldovan village, 42-year-old Elena, known locally as Santa Claus, challenges social and family conventions when she decides to run for mayor.
Elena is the beating heart of her remote Moldovan village. She cares for her farm and family, supports lonely elders, organises activities for children and, each year, dresses as Santa Claus to reward young volunteers. Despite her demanding responsibilities, Elena yearns for personal growth. She enrols in online courses, listening to lectures while milking the cow. Driven by ambition and a desire for change, she makes a bold move: she decides to run for local office in a male-dominated political system. Shot over seven years, the film follows Elena’s journey as she challenges the roles imposed on her and searches for meaning beyond the boundaries of home.
SCREENINGS
Friday 6 November 21:30
Saturday 7 November 14:15
Programme section(s): Docs Open Debates | Through Women’s Lenses
Original title: Electing Ms Santa | Year: 2025 | Runtime: 96′
Country: Moldova, Romania | Language: Romanian | Subtitles: English
Director: Raisa Răzmeriță | Production: Ion Gnatiuc – HaiDOC Productions; Tangaj Production | Screenplay: Raisa Răzmeriță, Ion Gnatiuc | Cinematography: Ion Gnatiuc | Editing: Mircea Olteanu, Alexandru Popescu, Raisa Răzmeriță | Sound: Ioan Filip, Dan-Ștefan Rucăreanu
FESTIVALS & AWARDS (SELECTION)
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, 2025 – World Premiere, Doc@PÖFF International Competition Jury Special Prize | VERZIO Film Festival, 2025 | Moldox Festival, 2025 | Trieste Film Festival, 2026 – CEI (Central European Initiative) Award | Artdocfest/Riga, 2026 | SEEFest, 2026 – Honourable Mention for Best Cinematography | Sarajevo Film Festival, 2026
DIRECTOR’S BIO
Raisa Răzmeriță graduated from the BDC Discoveries – Balkan Documentary Center and is a fellow of the Malik Bendjelloul Foundation. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Cultural Management at the State University of Moldova. She collaborates as a director with HaiDOC Productions and also works with several Moldovan NGOs. Electing Ms Santa is her first feature-length documentary.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Elena is a woman from my hometown whom I have known for over 20 years, and who has consistently inspired me with her resilience and spirit. Electing Ms Santa is an exploration of identity, choice, and the transformative power of self-determination. Through this film, I wanted to tell the story of a simple woman from a small village in Moldova who is searching for meaning beyond her own limits.
