Gone Guy

1. 01

   Radu’s footage

   Radu documented his own journey thoroughly. The footage varies in quality but stays raw and unfiltered, and over three years his filming and the way he presents himself change: the rehearsed would-be adventurer of the early videos finds his own voice. He talks to the camera in Romanian; conversations on the road are in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, the last two learned along the way and practiced in Tinder chats.

2. 02

   The reflections

   A voice-over drawn from Radu’s journals gradually reveals his past and his thinking about freedom and happiness, the inner story behind the ride. It will be recorded first in English. Radu also speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and French, so versions for other markets can be recorded in his own voice.

3. 03

   The people

   Andrei Dăscălescu tracked down and interviewed people who helped Radu on the road. Radu inspired them in ways he never imagined. They range from Indigenous communities to city families across the Americas.

4. 04

   The present day

   Present-day conversations between Radu and director Andrei Dăscălescu fill the gaps in the story and follow a parallel thread: Radu preparing his first home for his new life with Irina.

5. 05

   The love story

   The ride ends with an unexpected romance. An online relationship with Irina becomes a lasting partnership and gives Radu a reason to stop wandering.

The film cuts between Radu’s first-person footage, landscapes, interviews, and present-day scenes, balancing adventure with introspection and humor with emotion.

Andrei Dăscălescu is an IDFA award-winning director of personal documentaries. The film’s themes of belonging, trust, and transformation match his interests as a filmmaker. During development, more than 60 hours of Radu’s footage were reviewed, Radu gave a 17-hour interview, and the two co-wrote the script.