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The Long Path of The Sinti and Roma – Film Screening
2022
Germany
45’

Admission free
In German with eng. subtitles

In 1980, eleven Sinti go on hunger strike at the Dachau concentration camp memorial. They protest because the persecution of members of their minority didn’t end with the liberation in 1945; racism against them persists, and the genocide of Sinti and Roma is still not officially recognised.
Based on personal life stories, the film traces the history of Germany’s largest national minority. ARD archival footage documents how public broadcasting supported and fueled racism against Sinti and Roma. In academia, “research” from the Nazi era was used to stigmatise, while the state criminal investigation offices worked with files of the Nazis until the 1980s to systematically “record” and “categorize” Sinti and Roma. Forty years after the end of the war, civil rights activists forced the release of these files. The film allows Sinti and Roma to express their views and stories to counteract racist narratives. It shows that Sinti and Roma were not only victims, but also resisters.

Director: Adrian Oeser

Adrian Oeser lives as a freelance filmmaker in Frankfurt am Main. After studying directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, he began working for the Hessischer Rundfunk, Das Erste and Arte in 2017. He primarily shoots long TV-documentaries on social and historical topics.

Cinematography / Kamera / Kamera: Bernd Romkowski
Editing / Schnitt / Montazha: Iris Litzenberg
Sound / Ton / Avazo: René Biernat
Music / Musik / Muzika: Max Clouth
TV-Editor / TV-Redaktion / TV-Redaktori: Sabine Mieder

Protagonists / Protagonist*innen / Protagonistya: Karola Fings, Jùlie Halilic, Gianni Jovanovic, Rudko Kawczynski, Zilli Schmidt, Manolito Steinbach, Romani Weiss

The film screening is part of the 6th International Festival of Romani Film AKE DIKHEA?, which takes place from 24 – 30 October 2022 in the BABYLON and the Grüner Salon of the Volksbühne. Financed with funds from the Spartenoffene Förderung of the Senate Department for Culture and Europe.

The entire festival programme: akedikhea.com/en/programs