Drawing on Richardson’s In Transit (2008, 30’) and Letters from Moldavia (2009, 28’), this contribution aims to a) discuss the form, aesthetic characteristics and political intentions of short “travelogue”, “essay” documentaries shot in Eastern Europe and b) relate these films to the growing scholarly interest in the film essay form, also approached from a transnational perspective, which has led to a proliferation of publications and conferences, as well as the inauguration of the “Essay Film Festival” in London.