Black and White in Colour
(59 minutes) Czech Republic/UK
Director: Mira Erdevicki
Producer: David Charap

Description:

Vera Bila does everything in a big way. Her body is oversized. Her dark hair billows untidily. Her temperament is fiery. She chain smokes. She belts out songs with gusto in a hoarse, earthy voice. In fact, this singer from the Romany tradition is on her way to being a cabaret star in Europe. The age-old discrimination against Gypsies has shaped Bila's character. She must constantly battle for acceptance. Surrounded by the husband she adores, and a loyal entourage of amateur Gypsy musicians who began as manual laborers, she tours the capitals of Europe in a caravan that frequently breaks down. Here is a portrait of a Gypsy diva who is viewed with indifference and suspicion in her own country, even as she gains acclaim elsewhere.

Biography:

Mira Erdevicki was born in Yugoslavia, in 1965. She studied journalism and cinema in Belgrade and in Prague. She has made several documentaries for TV and for cinema, including Foreigners in Their Own Home, Black Rose, and The First Twenty-Five are the Hardest. She also worked as an assistant director on the award-winning feature film Underground directed by Emir Kustarica.

Contact Information:

David Charap
Arcimboldo
67 Randolph Ave.
London W9 1DW, UK
E-mail: david@arcimboldo.primex.co.uk