Our story
We know that behind silence there are untold stories and that in every story there are the seeds of other stories. The Fragile Society was founded with the belief that behind fragility and vulnerability there is strength and resilience and that, when they are together, women can manifest this strength and grow together.
Fragile Society is an organization with, for and about women, who can tell their stories and support each other using art as a tool and a vehicle. We want to create contexts and communities that nurture collaboration, dialogue and healing processes.
We created this organization a year after the pandemic broke out, as we understood how fragile we are and how important it is to be able to get support from the people around us in difficult times. Cases of domestic violence have increased dramatically during the pandemic, and so did social inequalities. That is why we think it is important to talk courageously about what is happening to women in contemporary society.
If you’ve ever felt unheard, if you’ve been ashamed or afraid to talk about things you’ve been through, we’re here to listen to you and look for ways to make yourself heard and connect with women who have been through similar experiences.
If you’ve ever started a conversation with: my life is a real novel or my life could be the subject of a movie, we are here to discover how art can bring healing to you and those around you and help you regain your strength.
If you have ever felt that by listening to and helping others, you have become stronger and braver, we are here to think together about ways to put your gifts and talents at the service of others who now need help.
If you are part of an organization that works with women or children and you think that people should know more about what you do and how you change lives, we are here to make your messages heard.
Our first project, titled “Fragile,” is a documentary series on women’s vulnerability as well as their power. Our first project, titled “Fragile,” is a documentary series on women’s vulnerability as well as their power. It depicts the genuine lives of ten women of different ages and backgrounds, as told through the interpretation of Ioana Flora, fighting against abuse and tensions caused by others’ preconceptions and societal expectations. Starting from personal experiences, the project intends to put delicate issues into the public eye, urge women to seek expert assistance, and show that there is a support network made up of non-governmental organizations.
Meet Our Team
Ioana Flora
Co-founder and executive director
Ioana dreams about a society where no one feels inferior to others The pandemic context allowed her to realize that, in addition to being an actress, she wants to support causes that she believes in The cause of women in precarious situations was the one that stood out the most.
Ioana is an award-winning actress with more than 20 years of experience in film and stage. She is a member of the European Film Academy, a Berlinale Talents alumna, and a recent American Film Academy Award nominee (starring in the short film The Christmas Gift).
Last year, she co-created and developed the documentary series Fragile with Rucsandra Pop and Ioana Mischie, a project that focused on the tales of Romanian women in vulnerable situations like helplessness, emotional abuse, human trafficking, and domestic violence.
As a supporter of women rights, Ioana is the co-founder of the Fragile Society, a non-profit that analyzes the challenges of womanhood in today’s Romanian society.
photo credit: @Ionuț Macri
photo credit: @Felicia Simion
Rucsandra Pop
Co-founder and chairwoman of the board of directors
Rucsandra Pop grew up in a household full with boys, which forced her to disguise her femininity for a long period. Her femininity erupted one day. Rucsandra was up surrounded by strong and daring female role models. She realized that femininity is a moving notion when she finally saw the frailty of the ladies she idolized.
Rucsandra is an anthropologist and playwright who has written four plays that have been co-produced by the Lorgean Theater and the Hydra Society. She wrote the book Oracle and was a contributor to other books under the name Dear Virginia My country’s or the Other City’s letters. Locations and stories from Bucharest’s southern district She believes, as a storyteller, that beneath the layers of fear and guilt that we all wear, there are truths that can help us, even if they hurt.
Rucsandra dreams about a world where people take the time to listen to each other’s stories and use them to create bridges and heal. She is passionate about how discussion and creativity can improve community trust and make it a better place to live. Its goal is to motivate people to be the best version of themselves. He accomplishes this via writing or mentoring people and organizations on self-discovery trips. Her ambition is to help as many Romanian women as possible find their voice and strength.
Adina Duțu
Board member
Adina is a businesswoman. She was one of the two founders of SmartPoint, a full-service agency that has evolved into a communication firm with a regional presence in the CEE and a workforce of over 100 people, when she was 27 years old in 2005.
She believes that education is the foundation of everything that has influenced the way the world looks today and will influence how the world looks tomorrow, which is why the agency has taken on many pro bono education projects over the years.
She believes in the ability of storytelling to inspire, as well as the Fragile Society’s narrative power!
Alina Berzunțeanu
Co-founder and board member
Alina is an actress. She was always looking to shake the silent flow of inner and outer waters, to explore new artistic territories, and to reveal herself in front of the audience, hoping to meet their fragility and experience together a common strength by focusing on independent projects with other actors and theatre directors. She did volunteer work at a center for children from low-income families. She collaborated with them on theater productions. She told stories to blind youngsters at a school.
She witnessed the challenges that moms, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and neighborhood ladies faced when she was a child.She sensed their warmth, strength, insecurity, fear, quiet, and suppressed tears. She saw how they always stood up for what they believed in and went on to defend their world with love and care. Each woman’s particular tale is a chance for her to meet herself. She recognizes herself in their tales. For her, the ONG represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be present in the moment, to share, to fight, to provide, when the “alarm bells start screaming.”
We are here to bring these true stories to the surface.
Help us to remind these women that we are not alone, to give voice to these silences. Donate.