Hello dear reader, and welcome back to Found & Told. I’m Irene, a filmmaker and photographer devoted to capturing real life, one frame at a time. What you’re about to read is part of a series where I’m exploring what it truly feels like to find your way back to your roots.There’s a special kind of magic in a first-time trip. You know your destination, but the journey itself is a blank canvas, ripe for discovery. This feeling can be as simple as hopping on your bike and taking a new route to your favourite coffee shop, or boarding a train to somewhere completely unknown. What will you see from the window? Will the journey unfold as you imagined? It’s this exact sense of anticipation I remember feeling while waiting to meet Marina, our host for a week-long cultural tour, at the Cluj train station.
So, just after 9 a.m., I met Sweta and Michelle, the two other girls on the retreat, and Marina, for the first time in person. She is the founder of Made in Sat, a platform designed as a peaceful haven where people can truly slow down and find fresh inspiration in a new cultural context.
Made in Sat translates from Romanian as ‘Made in the Village’.
Our destination, Marin village, was a couple of hours from Cluj, which meant we had a road trip ahead of us! But Marina, it turned out, was full of wonderful surprises. She deviated from the itinerary almost immediately, making a pitstop about 45 minutes from Cluj where we met the last chess maker of Izvoru Crișului village.
Being welcomed into the home of Albert and Margareta was a true privilege. This lovely couple, together for over four decades, are the heart-keepers of their region’s cultural heritage.
Margareta runs an artisan shop filled with handcrafted treasures: pottery, jewellery, and textiles, each from a local maker. And with every piece we touched, she shared a story, connecting us to the person and tradition behind it.
Albert, an artisan himself, began hand-carving chess pieces at just 13. For over 60 years, he has honed his skill, now shaping a piece in mere seconds with a breathtaking dexterity. Each hazelnut wood set, polished to a flawless shine, is a masterpiece. He is the last chess maker of Izvoru Crişului.
Unfortunately, demand for these heirlooms has faded. Hundreds of finished pieces are stored away, waiting for homes. But what hasn’t dimmed is the resilience and deep-seated love that artisans like Albert and Margareta pour into preserving these traditions against all odds.
We were all deeply moved by their passion and the sheer joy Albert and Margareta still find in creating and preserving the soul of their region. Now, writing this from my couch thousands of miles away, their home feels both far away and incredibly close. That visit became more than just a cultural insight, for me.
It’s a wonderful thing, I think, to be so in love with your craft that even after 60 years, you still wake up eager to create, just as Albert does. My greatest hope is that, years from now, I will still feel that same spark for filmmaking and photography, and that I will never stop seeing the authenticity in stories just as enduring as his.
I’m so happy you’re here, but who am I?
Hi, I’m Irene, and I’m a filmmaker and photographer celebrating human stories, frame by frame and this is my journal as I explore the profound stories hidden in everyday life.
I’ve been in the industry for almost 10 years and for me, the thread running through everything has always been stories. What truly fascinates me is the real world: the quiet magic in human interactions; the poetry in the most common moments.
I craft compelling brand films, documentaries, and lifestyle travel content for clients ranging from global names like Wacom and Microsoft to passionate small businesses and charities, all while using storytelling and stunning visuals to amplify voices that often go unheard.
💌 What should you expect from Found & Told?
It took a while to find my footing and truly tell the stories I felt pulled toward. This space will be about that ongoing journey. It’s for the stories behind the stories and the incredible people I meet along the way. Because let’s be honest: my work is worthless without the people who trust me enough to let me tell their stories. This newsletter is, in many ways, dedicated to them.
You can expect heartfelt behind-the-scenes, honest reflections, notes from the road, and more.
Thank you for being here ♡
