International Romani Day. Documentary about Roma truth "Invisible Truth" presented in Ukraine
April 8 is International Romani Day. The film "Invisible Truth" with previously unknown, true, and touching stories from the life of the Roma people is presented in Ukraine.
The Suspilne reports.
The premiere of the documentary is scheduled for air on the regional TV channels of the Suspilne on April 15 at 6:40 p.m.
The film is based on three unique stories about Roma youth and their families, who belong to different social groups. By their own example, they destroy the stereotypes about the community that has existed among Ukrainians for years.
The film's first hero is 17-year-old Daniel. He comes from a wealthy Romani family. The boy is studying at the media faculty, dreaming of becoming a screenwriter.
The next heroine of "Invisible Truth" is Monika. She is 20, and she's a medical college student, a future nurse. After college, she plans to master the profession of a doctor. She grew up in a very poor Romani family.
The third story is from Anzhelika, a 13-year-old schoolgirl from a large Roma family. She's taken care of all the housework and caring for her younger brothers. Despite the difficulties, she studies well at school, has studied Ukrainian, and dreams of becoming a confectioner.
"In 'Invisible Truth,' we show Romani people are different, as well as representatives of any nation. In fact, the life of many Romani people doesn't differ from the life of Ukrainians. The only difference is the prejudiced attitude of society to this community. There are far more Romani working or study than we think. But for some reason, we're used to noticing only those on the street or at the train station. They want to socialize but have fewer opportunities because of stereotypical attitudes. I hope that what I saw and heard from our film's heroes will forever change people's perception of the Romani community," the creator of the idea and screenwriter, creative producer of the Coordination Center for Broadcasting of National Minorities Olena Kryvenko said.
The Coordination Center for Broadcasting of National Minorities of the Public searched for heroes and worked on developing the concept of the film "Invisible Truth."
Its leader Anastasia Hudyma notes that in Ukraine, which unites representatives of more than 130 nationalities (according to the 2001 census), tolerance must exist as an inalienable human value. But the reality is different. It's especially true of sensitive communities, such as the Romani.
The project was filmed in January-March 2021. Production and editing worked on the project under an outsourcing contract. The film director of the "Invisible Truth" is Yurii Shylov.
The project was implemented with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.
"One of the barriers to including Romani people in public life is a completely distorted image of this community, formed in everyday life. The information space is full of stereotypical examples and negative interaction situations between communities, Romani and Ukrainian. This image not only doesn't reflect reality but strengthens mutual mistrust, prevents considering and using opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in communities, joint growth, distracts from this limited resource.
The leading role in correcting this situation belongs to the media, in particular to the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, which can swing the pendulum towards a more balanced and truthful representation of the Romani people, their lives, aspirations, challenges, and achievements. That is why the partnership with the Suspilne was important for us, and its result, the film "Invisible Truth," will help the viewer to look at their neighbors and fellow Romanis with different eyes," Serhii Ponomarev, Head of the Romani program of the International Renaissance Foundation.
