Discover the vibrant voices of the Moldovan diaspora at a special literary evening hosted at our headquarters in Belgrave Square. WritersStela Brînzeanu,Vica Demici, andAnda Vahnovanwill share their creative journeys, reflect on the themes that shape their work, and explore how living between cultures and languages influences contemporary writing.
The evening will feature live readings of prose and poetry in both Romanian and English, offering a unique glimpse into their artistic worlds.
Organised with the support of the Embassies of Moldova and Romania in London, this event brings together members of the UK-based Romanian and Moldovan communities, as well as anyone with an interest in contemporary Eastern European literature.
Join us for an evening of literature that transcends borders and celebrates the voices shaping the diaspora today!
About the authors:
Stela Brînzeanu studied Foreign Languages at Moldova State University in Chișinău, before moving to England, where she earned a BA in Media Studies from the University of Westminster. Her early professional experience included a role in Airtime Management at Channel 5, followed by a period of extensive travel that informed her perspective and creative voice. She later turned to writing, refining her craft through a creative writing course at Faber, tutored by Esther Freud, and by participating in fiction workshops with The Stinging Fly in both Dublin and London. Her debut novel, Set in Stone, has been praised for its evocative storytelling and nuanced exploration of trauma, resilience, and belonging. She was also a finalist for The Write Stuff at the London Book Fair, further establishing herself as a compelling new voice in contemporary fiction. Alongside her literary work, she has contributed to the screen industry as a cultural adviser on The Power, the Amazon Prime Video adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s acclaimed novel, bringing insight and authenticity to its portrayal of Eastern European contexts. Through her writing and creative collaborations, Stela Brînzeanu continues to bridge cultures and narratives, offering powerful reflections on displacement, heritage, and the complexities of identity in today’s world.
Victoria Demici is a poet, songwriter, composer, and translator. She is the author of poetry volumes published by Cartier (Chișinău) and Eminescu (Bucharest), as well as short story collections and musical compositions. She writes in English, French, Russian, and Romanian, and plays the piano and guitar. Her song "A Century of Love" represented the Republic of Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest, while the poetic version of Eugen Doga’s "Sweet and Tender Beast" waltz, with her own lyrics, brought the beauty of the Romanian language to international audiences of hundreds of millions. The poetic waltz was performed at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, accompanying Canadian bronze medallist Madeline Schizas, as well as at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, accompanying gold medallist Isabeau Levito. Victoria Demici has also written the English lyrics for Shostakovich’s "Waltz No. 2", as well as Romanian lyrics for the Love Story and Schindler’s List soundtracks, performed by Romanian artist Paula Seling. With an academic background in international economic development, she moved to London to continue her studies at UCL. She has experience in international affairs and currently contributes to the development of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s recently launched Knowledge Hub.
Anda Vahnovan is a poet, prose writer, and editor. Her debut poetry collection, Sârme (Casa de Pariuri Literare, 2022), was awarded the Romanian Writers’ Union Special Prize for Debut in Poetry and the Iulia Hașdeu Special Prize, establishing her as a distinctive new voice in contemporary literature. In the same year, she published the prose volume Underground –#LondonStories (Prut Internațional, Chișinău), a work exploring diasporic life and urban identity, which was nominated for the debut category at the USM Chișinău Literary Awards. Her poetry has also appeared in anthologies and volumes published in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Vahnovan’s work has been presented on international stages, including readings at the Max Blecher Institute in Bucharest (2023) and appearances at major literary festivals such as the Patras World Poetry Festival (Greece), the Mythical Lands Festival (Brussels), and the International Festival of Literature and Translation (FILIT) in Iași. Her writing reflects a sustained interest in identity, language, and the shifting textures of belonging, shaped by her experience of living and creating between cultures. Following studies in Journalism and completion of a PhD in Sociology, she now serves as editor for Timpul Magazine (Romania, Republic of Moldova edition), while also teaching Romanian Language, Culture, and Civilization in London.
