My name is Andreea Talmacel, and I am a young aspiring investigative journalist with a strong interest in human trafficking, organised crime and social-impact storytelling. Before fully recognising journalism and documentary production as my main path, I explored several different directions, which have all contributed to shaping my profile.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Foreign Languages from the University of Toulouse, France. This programme allowed me to become fluent in English and French, while also gaining solid knowledge in literature, economics and business management. My academic background gave me strong research, writing and intercultural communication skills, which I now want to apply to investigative journalism and documentary work.
Before focusing on journalism, I tried different experiences: I briefly studied international commerce in Toulouse, spent a few months in the Italian Army, travelled alone across several European countries and Brazil, and considered studying criminology in Ireland. Later, I took part in the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programme in Romania, where I discovered the wide range of opportunities and projects that the European Union offers. These experiences helped me understand my own priorities and confirmed my passion for human stories, social justice and in-depth research.
Today, my main interests lie in investigative journalism, OSINT methods, documentary production and projects that combine research, film and social impact. I am particularly drawn to topics such as human trafficking (especially from Eastern Europe), migration, and organised crime, and I aim to develop a career that blends rigorous journalistic research with compelling visual storytelling.
I decided to apply for the EYE programme mainly out of curiosity and a strong desire to deepen my understanding of European opportunities in the fields of journalism, film and social-impact projects. During my ESC experience in Romania, I learned about the EYE programme and saw it as an excellent way to continue my path within the European framework, while gaining practical experience in a professional environment.
My motivation comes from several factors:
- the wish to have a meaningful experience abroad, in a country with a strong tradition in documentary production and investigative journalism;
- the opportunity to work closely with professionals who are active in these fields and learn directly from their daily practice;
- the chance to contribute to projects that have a clear social purpose and that can make a difference in people’s lives.
I was not influenced by a specific friend or acquaintance, but rather by my own path: after trying different careers and living in several countries, I felt that EYE was the right step to move from “exploring” to “building” a concrete professional trajectory in journalism and documentary production.
I believe that the experience at Reptrospect Film can significantly contribute to both my human and professional growth. On a professional level, it will give me direct insight into what it means to produce a documentary from scratch: from the initial idea and research phase, through the development of angle, premise and themes, to the practical steps of production and collaboration with different professionals (directors, researchers, editors, partners, etc.).
This will allow me to:
- strengthen my journalistic skills, especially in research, source evaluation and storytelling;
- understand the practical and organisational side of documentary production, including project development, funding applications and partnership building;
- learn how to communicate complex social issues in a clear, ethical and impactful way, both for specialist audiences and for the general public.
On a human level, working in an international and mission-driven environment will help me grow in terms of autonomy, responsibility and intercultural communication. It will also confirm (or refine) my long-term vision: to work on cross-border investigative and documentary projects that combine rigorous research, human-centred stories and European collaboration, with a focus on topics such as human trafficking, migration and organised crime.
Overall, I see EYE and the experience at Reptrospect Film as a key step in transforming my diverse background into a coherent professional path, and in building the skills and network I need to become an effective investigative journalist and documentary producer.