‘We are human too’: the Roma film-makers striking back at stereotypes

Seven films in Seville programme highlight how Roma are creating their own narratives

Growing up in Romania, whenever Alina Șerban spotted Roma people on television or in movies, they were usually cast as villains or depicted as somehow exotic.

But this week the Romany actor and film-maker is part of a cohort pushing back against this stereotyping, joining forces with Romany film-makers from across Europe in a landmark screening of seven films during the Seville European film festival.

“It’s work made by us, not just about us,” said Șerban. “I was raised in a world where everything I heard about my community came from the exterior … The perspective is finally being centred.”