He
dreamed of being able to produce films for the best in the world ...
On May 23, our son and young documentary director Nicholas Dimancescu,
26 yrs old, fell to his death while filming In the Carpathians
Mountains of Romania.
Recognized for his prior directorship and narration of two
documentaries on Romania in WW-I (HILL 789) and WW-II, (KNIGHTS OF THE
SKY) both completed in partnership with the National Geographic
Magazine, he developed a sensitive, personal view of tumultuous and
tragic times in Romanian history.
His grandfather's memoirs of WW-1, his first film production created
with colleagues in Boston and Bucharest, was factual and poignant in
its direct, honest narration.
Born in Boston and raised in the nearby community of Lincoln,
Massachusetts, he developed a lively, open-minded life that relished
testing the limits.
Educated at Fisher College in Boston, Emerson, Harvard Extension
School, and the Art Institute in San Francisco, he focused on those
individuals and courses that might tailor a growing interest in the
world of history, culture, photography and film.
Ancestry from his maternal side, dating back to the early 1600s in
Massachusetts, led to his membership in the Ancient and Honorable
Artillery and to membership in the Sons of the American Revolution.
Early experiences as an intern helping save cave bear fossil in
Romania, a project sponsored by the National Geographic Magazine
(Romania Edition) and the mentorship of Cristian Lascu, the magazine's
editor and cave explorer, introduced him to the world of professional
documentary.
He set on on his own to explore the 'first signs of human
consicousness' in the world of cave painting; he worked with Boston
artists to experiment in varied film, music, and digital media; and all
the while strengthened an appreciation and love for Romanian culture.
Friendships there would stimulate his professional documentary skills
further.
In 2011 he launched into an ambitious one-hour documentary with the
working title "Decoding Trajan's Column."
His goal was to bring alive the landscapes and culture of the Dacian
lands conquered by Roman Emperor Trajan in 101-106AD.
That task took him into the cave-rich 'Dacian' Carpathian Mountains
noted for their unique Dacian mountain and hill-top fortresses that
proved an enduring nemesis of the Roman Empire..
At Cosna Mountain (Romania) filming
HILL-789 in 2009
On this last assignment on May 23rd, he scrambled up a jagged hilltop
to capture a dramatic thunder-storm billowing above the Cioclovina
Cave.
His last photos were of new Spring flowers and skyline vistas.
A 3:45 pm he tripped on a fragile escarpment and fell to his death in a
place he loved.
He thrived in the creative vitality of his Allston (Boston)
neighborhood.
He worked hard.
He lived his life to the fullest.
He brought joy and friendship to those around him.
He learned to cook wonderful meals.
He was generous.
And in ways that escape so many of us he understood life's deepest
subtleties...
We loved him as much as one could expect and were proud of his every
moment in life. Katherine, Dan
Dimancescu, and Katie Dimancescu
Nick's arrangement cave bear bones in
Cioclovina Cave 2004
σ.αρχ.:Ο Νικολάς ήταν ένα εξαιρετικά ταλαντούχο
παιδί, μεθοδικός σκηνοθέτης από τους λίγους στον χώρο των ιστορικών
ντοκυμαντέρ. Έφυγε στις 23 Μαίου, κάνοντας αυτό που αγαπούσε σε έναν
τόπο που τον λάτρεψε, κατά τη διάρκεια των γυρισμάτων του επόμενου
ντοκυμαντέρ του σχετικά με την επέλαση των Ρωμαίων στην Δακία (τωρινή
Ρουμανία) Decoding Dacia: Emperor vs
King
Η ομάδα των γυρισμάτων, μέσα στην οποία είναι και η δική μας Nora
Agapi, αποφάσισε να συνεχίσει το γύρισμα του ντοκιμαντέρ, πάντα με την
υποστήριξη και του πατέρα του Νικολά, Dan, για να ολοκληρώσει το έργο
του.
