ERIAC at DOK Industry Talk 2025: Romani Representation on Screen

Story Sovereignty: Building a Framework for Respectful Romani Representation
DOK Industry Talk 2025

On Wednesday, 29 October (13:30–15:00, Propsteikirche St. Trinitatis), the DOK Industry section of DOK Leipzig 2025 will host an important conversation on the politics of Romani representation in film: Story Sovereignty: Building a Framework for Respectful Romani Representation.

Organized by the Critical Film & Image Hub at Heidelberg University in partnership with the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), The Romani Filmmakers Network, Patrin Films Ltd, and TUKE TV, this talk brings together key voices working to reshape how Romani stories are told — and by whom.

Centering the concept of Story Sovereignty, the panel explores how Romani filmmakers and creatives can reclaim authorship and agency over their narratives in film, television, and cultural production. The discussion also examines the role of structural antigypsyism in shaping cinematic representation, while envisioning a more ethical and inclusive framework for the future.

Panelists:

• Vera Lacková – Producer, director, Media Voice & European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), Austria

• Alica Sigmund Heráková – Producer/director, TUKE.TV, Czech Republic

• Lisa Smith – Producer, Patrin Films & Research Associate at the Critical Film & Image Hub, Heidelberg University, UK/Germany

• Dr. Radmila Mladenova – Project Lead, Critical Film & Image Hub, Heidelberg University, Germany

Language: English
Access: Accredited guests welcome