Drăcușorul mai vine și cu trotineta (I) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: The Little Devil Also Rides a Scooter (I) By Ion Bogdan Martin A sharp-witted romantic comedy that proves "the ways of the Lord"—and of the heart—are particularly tangled when life decides to interrupt your morning coffee. Set in the stifling August heat, the play opens with Relu, a 32-year-old ophthalmologist, trying to survive a domestic symphony of drilling machines, crying children, and mysterious "barking" neighbors. His quest for a moment of peace is cut short by the unexpected arrival of Mr. Costache, a neighbor whose dry throat and paternal pride set the stage for a classic comedy of manners. The narrative thrives on the Farcical Friction between professional logic and chaotic reality: The Clinical vs. The Casual: Relu’s attempt to maintain his medical schedule is constantly derailed by Costache’s "unannounced" but highly tactical visit, leading to a hilarious back-and-forth where being a doctor is mistaken for being a patient. The Paternal Pitch: Through Costache’s glowing (and perhaps overly rehearsed) description of his daughter Denisa—a top-tier law student with a perfect GPA—the play sets up a "matchmaking" tension masked as neighborly small talk. Ultimately, Ion Bogdan Martin explores how authentic feelings eventually replace the "pastiches" of our social roles. Behind the witty banter and the mundane interruptions lies a story about how love crashes into our lives precisely when we are least prepared, turning a simple neighborly encounter into a potential catalyst for an emotional "overhaul."
REN 1.0, de Cristian Mladin ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲
REN 1.0, de Cristian Mladin ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem în cultură! ABSTRACT "REN1.0" Short Story by Cristian Mladin In this gripping piece of speculative fiction, "REN1.0" offers a daring, technological reimagining of one of Earth’s most enduring legends. The story follows Zenx, a rogue from the planet Kyros, who finds himself stranded on a primitive, snow-covered world after a lethal betrayal and a desperate escape through a galactic wormhole. With his ship’s propulsion destroyed and his partner eliminated, Zenx is forced to use his last remaining Kyrosian gifts—telepathy and hypnosis—to survive the brutal winter. In a final bid for momentum, he harnesses a herd of wild reindeer to pull his damaged craft across a frozen mountain peak. Seen through the eyes of a local father and his children in the valleys of Sweden, the sight of a figure in a snow-dusted red flight suit, gliding across the sky in a metallic vessel, births a legend that will transcend centuries. Cristian Mladin’s "REN1.0" is a masterfully crafted tale of cosmic irony, exploring how a fugitive’s struggle for survival became a civilization’s ultimate symbol of winter wonder.
CONVOIUL (IX) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲
This is the nineth part of the "The Convoy" series, presented in a bilingual Romanian-English format. "The Body of the Snake" continues the metaphorical exploration of a human column on a perpetual march, guarded by "Keepers". The narrative delves into themes of individual apathy versus the collective drive for survival, illustrating a moment where external incitements to rebellion are met with both longing and resignation. As the convoy moves from restrictive paths to expansive, multi-lane roads, Schwartz masterfully examines the shifting nature of social control and the internal psychological landscape of those caught in the march. CONVOIUL (IX) de Gheorghe Schwartz Tradus de / Translated by Eugene MATZOTA ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură!
România pierdută (XIII) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲
Lost Romania (XIII) Written in 1995, this visceral philosophical essay serves as both a political indictment and a metaphysical excavation of a nation in decay. Dedicated to the "hypocrites" and "false purveyors of Romanian love," Iordache explores the "lost country" not as a geographical failure, but as an internal prison—an ontological "shattered asphalt" where the individual and the collective soul have decomposed into a single, agonizing image. The narrative establishes a stark tension between the Ugly Reality and the Subterranean Sacred: The Lugubrious Howl: Represented by the "vraiște" (disarray) of the streets and the sudden violence of a world that "schilodește" (maims) the innocent, marking the "double suicide" of both the self and the state. The Deep Pulse: The author posits that "Heaven is beneath us"—a buried patrimony of a "greedy genius" where all that was and will be is stored, waiting for an observer to "rise to their feet" and reclaim it. Ultimately, Iordache proposes a radical Socio-Spiritual Reversal. He argues that "masculine insolence" is an exhausted currency and that the only path to surmounting the national deficit of energy is to invoke the "defeated force" of the woman. By refusing to "copulate with the desecrators," the feminine principle represents the final, impossible revolt against the "hierarchy of misfortune" that governs the relationship between the exploiter and the exploited. România pierdută (XIII) de Claudiu Iordache ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.101, 02/2026 ▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură!
Carnavaluri vestite de pe Riviera franceză ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.102, 02/2026 ▲
Carnival Splendor on the French Riviera – Nice and Menton Text: Adina Baranovschi | Photo: Bogdan Baranovschi The February edition of ALTCULTURE celebrates the vibrant traditions of the French Riviera through two of its most iconic events: the Nice Carnival and the Menton Lemon Festival. In Nice, the 153rd edition of the carnival unfolds under the jubilant motto "Vive la Reine!" (Long Live the Queen!). This grand manifestation features a spectacular parade of giant floats, colossal puppets, and masked participants, complemented by the traditional "Battle of Flowers," street performances, and charitable galas. Meanwhile, in Menton, near the Italian border, the 92nd Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) takes center stage with the theme "Merveilles du Vivant" (Wonders of the Living). This unique event showcases the extraordinary creativity of its participants through massive static and mobile structures crafted entirely from citrus fruits—lemons and oranges. Together, these two historic carnivals transform the Riviera into a hub of joy and artistic expression, attracting visitors from across the globe and invigorating the local cultural and economic landscape. Carnavaluri vestite de pe Riviera franceză▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE nr.102, 02/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură!
Romanian Blues – Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” (I) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026▲
Abstract: Chapter 14 – "Romanian Blues" From The Book of Ash (Cartea de Cenușă) by Nicholas Jordan Editor’s Note: Highly acclaimed by some of the most prominent figures in contemporary Romanian literature, Nicholas Jordan’s "The Book of Ash" is a masterclass in existential travelogue and gritty realism. Critics have praised the work for its "surgical precision of observation" and its ability to blend the mundane with the metaphysical. In Chapter 14, titled "Romanian Blues," the narrator finds himself abruptly exiled from the canals of Venice back to the stark, grey reality of late-Soviet Russia. Set against the backdrop of a nascent Perestroika, the story captures a world in transition—where Western nylon stockings and blue jeans begin to appear on Moscow’s streets, yet the taps of Hotel Bucharest still run with rust-colored water and the shadows of miniaturized microphones linger in the luminators. The narrative takes a sharp, darkly comedic turn when an occupational hazard of the "professional guide" life—a contracted venereal infection—leads the protagonist to the decaying corridors of Leningrad’s Polyclinic No. 3. Treated by a pragmatic Soviet doctor with a cocktail of penicillin and methylene blue, the narrator embarks on a literal and metaphorical "Blue Period." As the medication turns his world (and his anatomy) a vivid, Technicolor blue, the chapter evolves into a profound reflection on alienation. Jordan masterfully weaves together the raw discomfort of the body with high-culture references—from the haunting lyrics of Janis Joplin’s "Me and Bobby McGee" to the melancholic depths of Picasso’s Blue Period. Through the lens of "the blues," the author explores the mechanics of migration, the physics of light, and the inevitable bitterness of a "good man feeling bad." "Romanian Blues" is a poignant, witty, and unapologetic dissection of the human condition, trapped between the crumbling walls of the East and the hollow promises of the West. Romanian Blues - Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” (I) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 02/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură!
1916 – anul în care România a plătit prețul propriilor slăbiciuni ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 2/2026 ▲
Mirrors of 1916: Beyond the Digital Screen and into the Soul of a NationIn an era of "cold screens" and social media acceleration—where face-to-face dialogue has become a modern miracle—the intellectual circle of ANABASIS (XO Vintage Sign) in Arad, Romania, stages a quiet rebellion of the mind. Led by Ciprian Cristea, a distinguished group of thinkers, including writer Gheorghe Schwartz and academic Anton Ilica, gathers to dissect a pivotal, yet painful, chapter of the Romanian identity: the year 1916.The Core Narrative:The article explores the duality of 1916—a year defined by the sublime ideal of national unification and the harsh reality of strategic failure. Cristea strips away the romanticized veil of history to reveal a nation caught between profound patriotism and structural rot. The 1916 campaign serves as a case study in how enthusiasm without strategy and institutions weakened by corruption and nepotism can lead to catastrophe, regardless of the legitimacy of the cause.Key Themes:The Digital Disconnect: A critique of a world that has traded the depth of books and human presence for the brevity of the internet. The Anatomy of Defeat: An analysis of the 1916 collapse—not just as a military defeat by the Central Powers, but as a result of internal systemic fractures (fragmented political classes, lack of meritocracy, and strategic naivety).The Paradox of Regeneration: How the "ashes of 1916" paved the way for the heroic resilience of 1917, proving that national recovery requires radical institutional reform.The Contemporary Mirror: A provocative reflection on modern Romania. Cristea asks whether today’s institutions have truly evolved or if the country remains reliant on the "illusion of alliances" to mask internal weaknesses. Conclusion:This is not merely a historical recount; it is a call for lucidity. Matzota reminds the reader that the distance between a nation's dream and its fulfillment is measured by the quality of its leadership and the strength of its character. 1916 remains a mirror—disturbing, honest, and essential for any generation daring enough to look. 1916 – anul în care România a plătit prețul propriilor slăbiciuni ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.102, 2/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură!