OKRE connects the film, TV, and gaming industries with researchers and lived experience to create entertainment that sparks real social change
Case Study
CultureFilm

The Exhibition

Queer Roma artist returns from London to his Hungarian hometown to stage a public exhibition.
Returning from London to his Hungarian hometown to stage a public exhibition of his work. In a country where the public display of LGBTQ+ content is banned, he puts himself at the heart of his community, inviting both Roma and non-Roma residents to attend. As the event unfolds, Béla navigates the fragile line between acceptance and rejection, confronting the distance between the home he left and the home he longs for.

How did OKRE support collaboration

I, The Gypsy engages with intersecting themes relating to identity and social division. Through Béla Váradi’s return to his hometown, the project explores what it means to navigate multiple marginalised identities, including Roma, queer, and immigrant.

OKRE was able to connect the team with experts who brought their own lived experience to the table in order to discuss the context of the project, and how it can be applied to a broader, intersectional audience.

How collaboration improved authenticity

Translating to reach wider audiences

  • With Lisa Smith (Romani Filmmaker), the team explored the film's original concept and shared their research teaser to evaluate its potential.
  • Discussions are happening surrounding how to effectively translate the Eastern European Roma context for a broader international audience.

The portrayal of Roma-Queer identities

  • The team discussed the project with Joci Marton (Roma LGBTQ+ activist), in order to examine the nuances of Roma-Queer identity and its implications within both national and international contexts. They are now considering how to portray this in the film, particularly in how Bela's voiceover is crafted.

Connecting with local communities

  • Partnering with Norbert Horvath from the UCCU Foundation in Hungary allowed the team to develop relevant questions for the local community.
  • Horvarth suggested using direct inquiries instead of politically correct terminology, such as asking what individuals know about "Gypsies" instead of "Roma."
  • This approach aimed to shed light on the enduring positive and negative stereotypes of these communities.
  • In addition, collaboration with UCCU Foundation allowed them to organise impact screenings in Hungary to foster discussion and understanding around the film's topics.

Meet the team and collaborators

Dáša Raimanová

Documentary Filmmaker

Béla Váradi

Photographer and Visual Artist

Joci Marton

Roma LGBTQ+ Activist

Norbert Horvath

Tour Guide, UCCU Roma Informal Educational Foundation

Lisa Smith

Filmmaker

Related Case Studies

View all case studies
Case Study CultureFilm

The Things We Don’t Say

A group of young adults born during or just after the 1994 genocide against Rwanda's Tutsi people gather to find the courage to break a powerful taboo.
View Case Study
Case Study CultureFilm

MOTHERBOARD

Decades spanning documentary following the twists and turns of single motherhood, finding beauty in the passage of time.
View Case Study
Case Study CultureFilm

The Ceremony

Immigrant cultures expressed through food, music & burial Practices.
View Case Study
Case Study CultureFilm

My Blonde GF

Tackling the troubling issue of non-consensual deepfake pornography through powerful storytelling.
View Case Study
Case Study CultureFilm

Black Dog

A journey into what it means to face trauma and find connection in the unlikeliest of places.
View Case Study
Case Study CultureVideo Game

Windrush Tales

Delving into the experiences of Caribbean immigrants in post-war Britain.
View Case Study