Monica Chirilă definitely made an entrance into the international creativity competitions. With an Erasmus in Paris, studying luxury marketing and working for Delvaux, only one year of exposure to #TheAlternativeSchool exigent platform and several local competitions successfully celebrated in a cum laude key, she qualified among the first 4 in the Roger Hatchuel Academy individual competition in 2024 and ended up first, alongside her teammate, in the Young Lions Digital Competition, heading to Cannes in June with flying colors, generously empowered by Invizibilii.ro. She carries a magical world within and it’s unfolding beautifully in the conversation below.

1. WHAT WOULD MAKE YOUR SOUL SING? WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

Randomly observing and appreciating small things that we usually don’t pay a lot of attention to. 

2. A CHILDHOOD STORY THAT ANNOUNCED THE CREATIVE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY 

I grew up with a family friend who was a puppeteer. She often took me along to her performances and I was completely captivated by that. This soon became a weekly ritual, and I also had the opportunity to go backstage after each show to interact with the actors and puppets, who remained in character so I could get to know them better. 

I think the peak moment came when I became such a regular that, during a new show that included a brief improv segment, the actors surprised me by interacting with me. I believe they had agreed to this beforehand, but for me it was completely unexpected and thrilling. They would ask me a short question, different in each performance, which I had to answer on the spot. 

3. BEST CONTEXT EVER FOR INSPIRATION WAS

Jokingly shoot ideas. Those that start as playful banter are often daring and not constrained by rigid concepts and rules. They push your mind to make the most random and interesting connections, leading to unique proposals, sometimes without even realizing it. 

4. THE PROJECT YOU LOVED MOST

It's hard to decide, but probably my internship at Delvaux, Paris. It was short and sweet, yet surprisingly challenging and interesting. Getting to know the savoir-faire of a prestigious luxury leather goods house, and then guiding retail processes and people from across Europe based on it is no easy task. Regardless, the experience was the most satisfying blend of tasks and learnings.

5. THE PROJECT OTHERS LOVED MOST

Any project developed along with my high school drama club. It was a truly impressive creative experience, where we could explore any skill that takes part in developing a theater play. Moreover, we had the chance to play at multiple festivals, such as FITS or Ideo Ideis, which is incredible for a high schooler.

6. THE BEST THING ABOUT LOCAL CREATIVITY IS

The simplicity, honesty, and boldness of the creatives. 

7. BEST STATEMENT OF LOCAL HUMOR

I believe it's the Romanians’ ability to find humor in adversity, to stop taking things too seriously for a second and make the best out of a bad situation.

8. ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL HEADHUNTERS, RELATED TO LOCAL CREATIVES

Locally, the creative side of people is often discouraged because it's not seen as a 'serious thing'. The fact that these individuals took the challenge and pursued this passion demonstrates that they work tirelessly for their dream in the most genuine way. This eagerness is not something to be overlooked.

9. BEST PLACE IN BUCHAREST

For me, the best spot is a small specialty coffee shop and a bodega or sandwich shop, that are side by side, very close to my home. I love how they managed to create a vibrant community around this location. I believe many people see this place as their “third place”, especially in the summer, when the sidewalk and surrounding green areas are full of people creating a familiar energizing chaos.

10. BEST PLACE IN ROMANIA:

I think Viscri does a great job at charming people, allowing visitors to experience a bit of Romanian village life.

11. MOST DISTURBING CLICHÉ ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY, IN THE MEDIA OUTLETS OF THE WORLD IS

I believe we are often associated with negative subjects such as corruption, theft, hostility or taking advantage of the kindness of foreigners. However, I think this relates to more variables than nationality and does not represent the friendly, helpful, honest, and hospitable essence that characterizes most Romanians. The essence that I and all my acquaintances, regardless of fellow Romanians or not, have experienced.

12. ROMANIA SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR

Craftsmanship and patterns, from pottery, copper smithing, and woodcarving, to weaving and embroidery.

13. YOUR VIEWS ON SPIRITUALITY

I believe there is something greater than us, whether it is a god, the universe, karma, just energy or something else. 

14. YOUR VIEWS ON MONEY

Unfortunately, money is often the doorway to opportunities. I am privileged and grateful that this aspect has not stood in the way of experiencing all the opportunities that have come my way until now.

15. AN INSPIRATION SOURCE YOU RECOMMEND FOR A YOUNG CREATIVE 

I`ll give you a piece of advice that I also received at some point: read as much as possible, as diverse as possible. The same goes for movies, music, hobbies, or social media content. Accumulate as many references as you can, that you can draw upon to make connections. It might sound cliché, but I guarantee it`s a golden rule for creatives.

16. A LOCAL BASED FEMALE TALENT THAT DESERVES TO BE PROMOTED AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, AS EXPONENT OF LOCAL CREATIVE SPIRIT

The lovely Livia Fălcaru, a Romanian illustrator and visual artist based in Bucharest.

In 2024, the Digital team representing Romania in the Young Lions competition is empowered by Invizibilii.ro, a platform dedicated to vulnerable communities, helping people to break the ceiling of instability and reach out for their materialized potential.

BIO:

Monica Chirilă is a 25-year-old young professional eager to experience as many facets of art as possible. It started with a passion for theater explored by being part of the Drama Club Botoșani, one of the most impressive high school theater groups in Romania, with which she participated in national and international youth theater competitions. Harvesting this passion even more, she was an actress playing occasionally  at her hometown theater.

Growing up, she came into contact with graphic design and copywriting while developing theater plays. Later on, this guided her towards the communication industry, which she explored by firstly doing a bachelor’s degree in Advertising at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences at the University of Bucharest, and later with a Master's in Communication and Advertising at the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations at SNSPA. 

In the meantime, she dabbled with event planning and graphic design and started her professional career with an internship in PR. 

She completed her master's with an Erasmus experience studying Luxury Marketing at one of France's most prestigious universities, where she gained global insights by developing business cases for some of the most important luxury houses. This experience was complemented by an internship as a retail coordinator at Delvaux, an experience that gave her access to a new perspective on luxury branding and customer experience.

Monica is a First place winner of “CompetițIAA” by IAA Romania and a Silver winner  in the “PR Arena”competition,  by Global Women in PR - Romania.

Currently, Monica is a Communication Consultant at Rogalski Damaschin PR, one of the most awarded local agencies, where she puts her accumulated skills into practice for a diverse range of clients. Simultaneously, she engages in communication projects and competitions, challenging her creativity.

Note: Monica's interview was visually documented with backstage photos from the photoshoot, signed Manole Sava, Green Mind Studio. He is the photographer behind the official pics for #TheAlternativeSchool winners cohort, 2024.