12.05.2025
We are excited to invite you to the 9th edition of AKE DIKHEA? - 9th Edition of the International Roma Film Festival
October 9–12, 2025 at Babylon Cinema & Grüner Salon, Berlin
Save the date – an inspiring program awaits you, with powerful films, thought-provoking discussions, and meaningful encounters!
More information coming soon.
Love,
The AKE DIKHEA Team
15.09.2024
We take a close look at current social developments from the perspective of marginalised groups and, above all, their contributions to a free and just society. For it is groups such as Roma who are most affected by anti-democratic tendencies – and who at the same time have been fighting on the front line against oppression for many years and from an intersectional perspective, be it against the white supremacy of the dominant society, against exploitative mechanisms of capitalism or against patriarchal thought patterns in their own families.
Both opening films - the short fiction film “Mami” by Alecio Araci and the documentary “Narrow Path to Happiness” by Kata Ólah – show the effects of homophobia in society and in one's own family and pose the question of how one can free oneself from the feeling of being a minority within a minority. Another highlight of the festival, an exclusive preview of the documentary film “Riefenstahl” by Andres Veiel, deals with the connection between art and politics and the mechanisms of manipulation that we are currently encountering again.
Alongside our selection of films, we will host a range of panels, including "Archival Justice: Decolonizing the Gaze," which will explore the safeguarding of marginalized histories, emphasizing the critical importance of ensuring equitable access to cultural heritage. The panel "Self-Performing Romani Identities – Actors in the Spotlight," amplifying the voices of filmmakers advocating for enhanced visibility and agency within the film industry. With the ‘Visegrad focus’, we are also dealing with Central and Eastern Europe as an important region for political developments throughout Europe.
Join us for this immersive experience as we come together to champion Romani cinema!
11.07.2023
Avazya joins forces with the European Film Academy (EFA)
Through a joint partnership with the EFA, we were able to nominate a number of filmmakers as members of the European Film Academy and also achieved waivers for the annual membership fee in the amount of 225€/year for all Romani members . The announcement of new members (who replied to the EFA invitation in time) took place on May 9th, Europe day, and proved to be an important day for the recognition of our voices. The European Film Academy welcomed all together 462 film professionals as new members, who will all be eligible to vote for the European Film Academy Awards.
We have been able to secure free waivers for Romani filmmakers for a number of festivals.
European Film Academy – “Sunday in the Country”: AVAZYA Roma Film Professionals Network was invited as a collaborating partner of the European Film Academy’s exclusive retreat “Sunday in the Country”. We were able to send a Romani participant to the networking and empowering weekend in Montenegro. You can read more about it here: AVAZYA Network was partner of the EFA’s project “Sunday in the Country”
Berlinale & European Film Market (EFM) 2023
AKE DIKHEA? recognised as a European Lighthouse at Diversity & Inclusion Seminar
The European Film Market hosted a day-long event on diversity and inclusion on
February 16th, 2023 bringing together a host of industry stakeholders in an effort to set the agenda for better representation — both on and off screen — in Europe’s film and television
industries. The International Festival of Romani Film: AKE DIKHEA? & AVAZYA Film Professionals Network were invited to share their work alongside organisations such as ARTEF, the New Dawn film fund, France’s Collectif 5050 and the International Sámi Film Institute. You can read more about it here: AKE DIKHEA? recognised as a European Lighthouse | AKE DIKHEA? (roma-filmfestival.com)
Fiction and Documentary Toolbox programmes 2023
AVAZYA Film Professionals Network sponsored two projects for European Film Market Toolbox Fiction and Documentary Programme 2023 and hope to continue this partnership in 2024.
You can read more about it here: Avazya Film Professionals Network sponsors two projects for European Film Market Toolbox Programme Initiative | AKE DIKHEA? (roma-filmfestival.com)
Further to this we were able to offer 4 physical EFM Accreditation badges as well as 3 EFM Accreditation badges for Avazya members to attend the Berlinale and the European Film Market 2023.
Documentary Association of Europe (DAE)
We formed an ongoing partnership with the incredible DAE, a member’s association from all professional fields associated with documentary film, who welcome AVAZYA members to take part in their Off-The-Record online seminars at no cost. The first seminar focused on Film Marketing Materials for upcoming markets and The second seminar focused on how to best position your funding applications.
We also wanted to share with you the news that the 7th International Festival of Romani Film AKE DIKHEA? will take place on 23. – 29.10.2023 / BABYLON + Grüner Salon
(Berlin).
Finally remember if you haven’t already done so you can register as an official member of the network here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkCtFf45pe3pVGqYgdxJFV4Ol0SyHgNNDZT7axe4JhBy9-Fg/viewform
Big Love,
The Avazya Team
11.07.2023
AKE DIKHEA’s Co – Curator Lisa Smith participated in their Conference From Cultural Appropriation to Self-Presentation / Make The Roma proud again! at Kampus Hybernská on 2nd – 3rd June 2023.
The discussions addressed questions, surrounding What constitutes Romani art? Is there a way to define it and what role does it take in society? Some of the opportunities and challenges for Romani film professionals were discussed and the current advocacy efforts of AVAZYA were shared.
Mihaela Dragan, Vera Lacková, Alica Sigmund Heráková, Robert Zlobert and Lisa Smith.
At the event we were happy to welcome new Avazya members and meet with existing ones.
We want to say a huge thank you to the organisers, and a special thanks to cultural manager and filmmaker Alica Sigmund Heráková and visual artist Emília Rigová.
05.03.2023
Edel Brosnan moderated the panel with: Melanie Hoyes, Head of Inclusion at the British Film Institute (BFI) and Fatih Abay, Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Researcher in Migration and Racism at the European Film Academy).
Despite the title of the panel, there was widespread agreement that women from marginalised groups often faced three, four or more layers of disadvantage. Melanie Hoyes outlined the impact of data collection and monitoring on inclusion and diversity in British film, and pointed out that while it’s a necessary first step, wider cultural change is needed. Fatih Abay identified specific barriers, such as documented incidents of misogyny in film schools, and Lisa Smith summarised experiences of filmmakers from a Roma background, whose stories are all too often appropriated by creatives from more privileged backgrounds. The panel agreed that the disability rights’ adage ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us’ was a useful watch word for improving representation, on and off screen. On a positive note, the panel acknowledged that audiences are increasingly open to audio-visual content from diverse voices. Finally, the importance of ‘being the change you want to see’ was highlighted: for example by advertising roles more openly and aiming to hire more inclusively on our individual productions.
You can read more about the full event in detail here: EWA Network celebrates its 10th anniversary with a poignant programme at the Berlinale – EWA Women
Left to right: Fatih Abay (Diversity and Inclusion – European Film Academy, Lisa Smith Producer, Roma Trial, Edel Brosnan Director of Strategy – EWA, Melanie Hoyes – Head of Inclusion British Film Institute
28.02.2023
Aimed at entry-to-mid level feature-length film producers or producing filmmakers the Doc & Fiction Toolbox Programmes are designed to endow creatives from marginalized and underrepresented groups with market intelligence, business tools and connections.
Alica Sigmund Heráková who participated with her fiction feature the Wolfs Hole said: As a producer from minority Romani background in Czech Republic, a country with still most likely “White” inhabitants, it is often hard to explain and represent different, marginalised voices within society. It was a relief to share, learn and gain knowledge in safe environment that the EFM team was able to created for the whole diverse group. It strengthened my ability to express and formulate the position I represent. I appreciate connections made and meetings we were able to attend with European Film professionals, I am building upon that. It was a great chance to meet peers from the field, get feedback on our project as well as create human connections. Last but not least, I observe my everyday work and even visions of what I do with a new perspective, which would not be possible to reach – without this experience.
Lisa Smith who also participated with her documentary feature Sites of Resistance said: “thank you to all of the incredible team behind this initiative for giving space for the project to go on to the next stage of its being. The film team is better equipped with more knowledge and tools to strengthen the potential of the project.”
The participation in the Doc & Fiction ToolBox programme is part of an ongoing partnership with the EFM Diversity and Inclusion & Avazya Film Professionals Network enabled by AKE DIKHEA? The International Festival of Romani Film Roma Trial e.V.
