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AKE DIKHEA?: Avazya – Filmmaker’s Network Kick-Off

In English
Free admission

Due to centuries-old Antigypsyism, Romani filmmakers, stories and perspectives have been excluded from the film industry. As a consequence, racist storytelling dominates mainstream film and culture, on a basis of othering and a discourse of not belonging. In order to overcome this imbalance and the underrepresentation of Roma in the world-wide film market, an international filmmaker’s network will be set up, based on the AKE DIKHEA? ideas and resources! Since 2019, the International Festival of Romani Film AKE DIKHEA? has organized annual think tanks and networking meetings, leading to the wish of a formalized network. The idea is to call the network “Avazya”, which is in Romani language and means “Voices”. The title should strengthen the fact that not a single story or a single voice is needed, but a diversity of different narratives and perspectives.

The Avazya Network:

– supports Roma filmmakers both on the level of further developing their professional skills and on the level of improving access to the world-wide film market,

– supports the film industry in portraying authentic and diverse Roma perspectives,

– facilitates mutual exchanges and support among filmmakers coming from oppressed and racialized communities as well as communities from the Global South,

– and, finally, to combat the Antigypsyism in Europe, especially in the field of film.

During the kick-off event, we want to work out the basics of the Avazya Network in a participatory process together with the members of the network, Roma filmmakers and our allies. We want to speak about the vision, principles and the goals of the network based on the needs of its members and we want to agree on concrete next steps to be taken.

Let us raise our voices together, celebrating diverse, authentic and intersectional filmmaking!

The kick-off event 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/program