What is cliche and what is reality when it comes to the Romani people? Can films about Romani people do without stereotypes? The film series SO DIKHEA? WHAT DO YOU SEE? deals with the consequences of the images and narratives which have been created about, and not with Romani people over centuries. For a thousand years the Romani people have been part of Europe and have shaped its cultures and societies; and yet, they are still perceived as foreign and not belonging. Antiziganism makes us blind to the multi-faceted, complex reality: the reasons for the emigration of the Romani people from the Balkan countries are often disregarded, the importance of labour migration for an aging society is being ignored. In order to change this, the film series SO DIKHEA? WHAT DO YOU SEE? invites for a closer look and discussion.
RomaTrial e.V. is a transcultural self-organised Berliner-Romani group which coordinates the Roma-Filmfestival AKE DIKHEA? once a year, with the goal of bringing the complex problems of Antiziganism into the public consciousness. AKE DIKHEA? – in Romani, NA SIEHST DU? – shows films with and by Rom*nja, Sinti*zzi and other people with Romno background. The festival will take place in Berlin for the third time, between the 5th – 9th December 2019.
Hamze Bytyçi lives and works in Berlin. In 2012, he founded the association RomaTrial, in 2013 he was founding member of the International Romani Film Commission. He initiated the Festival of Romani Film AKE DIKHEA? in 2017, which he has been directing since then. In 2018, he was co-curator of the 1st Roma Biennale COME OUT NOW!