‘Covid: The UnMasking’ – a short documentary film by Artur Conka to be released in June

As part of the of NewsSpectrum fellowship programme, and in collaboration with the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture, UK-based Roma filmmaker Artur Conka has developed a short documentary about Roma fighting Covid-19, featuring stories of community self-help and agency during the pandemic. The film explores ideas around the impact of Covid-19 within the Roma communities in Serbia and the UK and how in particular Romani women have been affected.

The challenges posed by Covid-19 are multifaceted; the health risk, the socioeconomic impact, the increase in domestic violence and the rise of antigypsyism are all contributing to the pandemic. The short documentary nevertheless aims to offer a positive perspective by uncovering stories of Roma-led efforts and initiatives to fight Covid-19 and by highlighting the important role of Roma women in their communities.

About the creators:

Director Artur Conka was born in Slovakia to Romani parents. He made his life in the UK upon finishing his degree in documentary photography and filmmaking. Artur has been working in the field of directing for over a decade and has won international awards. His works have been featured on TV and in cinemas.

Eduardo Jed Camara is a director of photography and filmmaker from the Philippines with 10 years of experience in the UK. He has shot videos for companies such as Lamborghini, FIFA TV and Macmillan Cancer Support. He is a passionate and story-driven cinematographer who has worked on feature-length films and documentaries, as well as many short-form documentaries and narrative films.

A special thanks goes to our partners in Serbia Opre Roma Serbia for their logistical support throughout the entire movie production.

The project is sponsored by the International Press Institute (IPI) as part of the NewsSpectrum Fellowship programme.