INTERVIEW

Delphine Liégeois, Head of Mission of the French NGO "Sports Without Borders” in Kosovo

Sami Mustafa is an independent  film maker from the Roma community of Plemetina, Kosovo. For seven years, he has been writing scripts, producing, and directing for more than twenty documentaries, docu-fiction and promotional films about his community, human rights and NGO projects in Kosovo, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and France. His films have won several prizes, and been screened at several film festivals - including Cannes in 2007.  He is director of his own production house, Romawood.

In 2009 he initiated and took the role as artistic director at the Rolling Film Festival, the first of its kind in Kosovo that showcase films made by and about Roma around the world.

- What is the history of the Rolling Film Festival? How was it born?

Since I started to make documentaries, I decided to that my work would be dedicated to Roma life all around the world. To give a different vision of the people that were for centuries misinterpreted and abused.  Making my own documentaries and showing them around the world was not enough, and especially not in the region I live, so that’s where it came the idea of Rolling Film Festival. But since it was a huge initiative to take, I kept it until I seat down with colleagues Valon Ymeri (Egyptian filmmaker from Kosovo) and Lara Cork from UK. And that’s how it all started.

- One of the aims of the festival was to make the young Albanian think about their prejudices about the Roma community. How did you reach the youth?

During three days, from Monday 19th October to Wednesday 21st October, groups of school age youths have been invited to attend a three hour special program of films tailored to children and youth. The NGO Global Motion was responsible for leading the discussions. With their experience in leading interactive discussions through theatre and other activities, Global Motion was a well suited organization to manage the School Program of Rolling Film Festival.

Each session has welcomed a group of approximately one hundred youth (13 to 18 year-olds) at the ABC Cinema. Several short films covering themes relevant and appropriate to the age group have been screened per session. Either through the use of theatre or the technique (specific to Global Motion) of ‘Stop and Act’, the youth was engaged in discussions about Roma issues. This has proven to be an innovative and effective methodology for involving young people in discussions and debates. This school program lift a taboo about Roma situation but showed as well  the need of such activities to enhance a better understanding of the Roma community and fight against remaining stereotypes.

- What was the best moment of the festival for you? Why?

One of my best moments of the Rolling was when I was going through the movies that we were watching and selecting for the festival, because we found very difficult to find films that we wanted to show to the people in Pristine, films that were not serving the stereotypes of Roma, films that misinterpreted the Roma population, even though, most of these films were fun and enjoyable to watch.  Also, I heard of When the Road Bends: Gypsy Caravan more than two years ago, but it was impossible to get it and viewing such a film was filling me up with the great energy and even more when people were coming out of the full cinema hall.

- How do you see the impact of this event?

The festival was a success on all counts. Approximately 1700 visitors attended screenings over the course of the three days, which is a good number considering the size of Pristine and of the cinema hall, the fact of Rolling Film Festival being in its first year, and the focus of the event. Roma from different parts of Kosovo came to Rolling Film Festival to watch films, learn about Roma and become involved in discussions.

There were interesting discussions after each film screening especially for the films where filmmakers were present. These discussions sessions typically lasted from ten to fifteen minutes and covered topics such as education, identity, gender roles, history, the consequences of stereotyping, and the differences among of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo.

- To what extent do you think media work and cultural promotion influences on the development of communities who are living in isolation? 

Media work and cultural promotion would make any sense if NGO and institution would not work at the same time in the field with the communities. Nevertheless, their work face sometimes a lack of visibility. Organizing a film festival allows to propose a new experience that is utilizing the power of shared artistic experience to further the goal of inter-cultural understanding.

- The film festival was supported by the Government of Kosovo and other non-governmental organizations. Are we talking about an isolated/extraordinary case or in the contrary it shows a serious commitment and continuous involvement of Government in supporting future events?  

This is not an extraordinary project that we do and we forget about. Rolling film festival was an ice breaking for this year. We wanted to see how people will react on all those issues or such a event, therefore this should not be isolated case but a tool for better understanding between the Roma communities and others. This year we’ve only shown 25 films among other 60 we “found/received”, next time we should have more activities such as theatre, film workshops and etc. The government supported this project this time, and I think they might like to cooperate again with us, why not? Everyone we asked for funds they all wanted to cooperate, even though most of them suggesting films and contacts of the filmmakers. Which was great.

- How was the initiative received by Roma organizations and film makers working in related issues in third European countries? Are there many other precedents of similar events having been organized in the past?

Despite the conditions Roma communities are living in throughout the world, few film festivals focus directly on this issue. The London International Gypsy Film Festival, The New York Gypsy Film Festival and Skopje’s Golden Wheel Film Festival are the only film festivals dealing directly with Roma realities.

- What are your next projects?

I am currently working on a new documentary, focusing on IDP camp in Plemetina Village. We also need to start to prepare the “Rolling on the Road” which means we will show a selection of the films that was shown in the Rolling Festival to Roma communities around Kosovo. Because I believe there is a necessity for showing Roma films to Roma people is pretty same importance as we show them to other people in Kosovo. The difference or similarity of culture, language, history among the Roma around the world deserves to be known.

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