Alžběta Ferencová a romani actress who plays in the Czech series Policie Hvar is not ashamed of her Roma origin. Still, she is met with prejudice.
Not much this week in France about Roma: Basically several articles on the movie “Comme un fils” [like a son] from the French director Nicola Boukhrief featuring the actor Vincent Lindon in the role of a depressive teacher saved by a young rom.
Other news is the upcoming eviction of a camp in the South East of France.
The French television channel TF1 showed the movide “A bras Ouvert”, a movie that came out in 2017 and immediately created a controversy as it displayed many racist clichés about Roma. Bad Idea, and bad movie.
Other news in France are more of the usual ones: A camp was closed near Fréjus in the south of France; another one in Angers in Western France; In Angers, they opened up a temporary insertion site; and finally a reportage in Western France on a site opened for Roma.
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A Canal Plus replay of the movie on the Polska Romni Papusza, a poet.
Director Peter Záchenský made a documentary on the small village Bôrka, about 20 km from Rožňava (Slovakia). Similar to elsewhere – Slovaks, Hungarians, Roma together on a small piece of land, mostly out of work. He explores and portrays the situation from several angles.
Another article about Zlatomir Jovanović, a Rom who is a culturologist, writer, journalist and translator. He is the president of the “Association of Romani Writers”, and is especially dedicated to the preservation of the Romani language. According to him, all Roma songs talk about freedom. However, this is not about freedom of movement, but about freedom of spirit.
To be frank, this is not quite accurate…
A critique of the Netflix series “Infamia” about a Roma family going back to Poland. Verdict here: A courageous attempt, but in the end, stereotypes.
An interview with Anna Maliszewska, the director and author of the series “Infamia”. She explains how difficult it was to give an objective portrait of Roma and how she did not manage to get any of them to come to the castings. She also spoke of Dr. Joanna Talewicz, who has been working for the Roma community for years and how she helped her in shaping the series.
A movie about the Yenish, a group of European Travellers in mostly German speaking lands is being presented at the Venice Film Festival.
The Polish Netflix series “Infamy” is proving popular.
Not sure this is great.
Two more articles among a plethora of them n the new Polish Netflix series on Roma.
The series, while highlighting serious problems and challenges faced by Roma, also perpetuates many clichés. That is not so good.
The NEtflic series “Infamia” is not only about the Roma or Poles. It’s about someone we perceive as a “stranger”. Here in Europe, we have a built-in and fuelled fear of foreigners. I wanted to encourage viewers to, instead of being afraid, ask “others” out of our common social life, take a closer look at them, see people in them, says Anna Maliszewska, the director of the series.
The Czech Roma actor Zdeněk Godla has announced he will quit acting. He got into acting by accident: He worked as a public works worker in Chomutov, where the audition was taking place. He participated, won, and since then has been an actor who often appears in films and series. His most famous works include, for example, the character František from the series Most.
Apparently, he is also in financial trouble, something that may have to do with his current decision.
Is Zofia Jastrzębska, the star of the latest Netflix series in Poland palying a 17 years old Romni, herself a Romni?
The real question in this case is does it matter?
Katharina Janoska, an Austrian Romni, made a movie about the struggle of the Roma for recognition in Austria. The production from the ORF regional studio in Burgenland can be seen on ORF 2 on Sunday, August 27 at 6:25 p.m.
A new Netflix series focuses on Polish Roma. According to the article “After years of living in Great Britain, teenage Romni Gita and her family return to Poland. After returning, the girl tries to find herself and discovers her passions, while leading the life of a typical seventeen-year-old. However, when she falls in love, she has to balance between the modern world of teenagers and traditional family rules.”
Let’s hope there are not too many stereotypes.
The film festival in Palić, Serbia, amongst others will feature the movie “Three thousand numbered parts” by Adam Časi. The movie is based on a theatre play, directed by Časi, staged in Budapest and then moved to Berlin. Supported by the Open Society Foundation, the creative team composed exclusively of Roma has been working together for the sixth year in the desire to educate marginalized Roma through artistic activity. Roma boys and girls act, sing, dance, satirically referring to their own painful life stories, continuous traumas and experiences that left scars on their hands. Cruel, seasoned with dark humour, a political film against injustice, prejudice, discrimination and racism towards the Roma – the largest European minority.
The Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Skonieczny is directing a new movie set in Wrocław, a city he knows well, featuring a young skateboarder who falls in love with a Romni and is confronted with the prejudice against Roma. Both key actors are new to filming, and are supported by a cast of well know actors.
An interview with the popular Czech Roma actor Zdeněk Godla, in which he states “Why should I call myself Roma when I’ve been a Gypsy all my life?” A touchy question.
Three Roma recently won prizes in the Czech Republic. Patrick Banga, a Romano journalist won the prestigious Magnesia Litera literary prize in the new authors category; Renata Berkyová, a historian who works on the Holocaust of Roma won a 4 month months scholarship at the Washington Holocaust Museum; and finally, the actor Marsell Bendig won the Czech Lion for supporting actor for his role in the film Banger.
Well done!
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