The story about Ingrid, a single mother living with her daughter and grandmother in an eastern Slovak village where Roma people face stigma, who becomes a professional foster parent to a Roma girl in order to survive, can currently be seen on the Omeleto platform.
The film has been screened at more than 70 festivals in 30 countries worldwide and has received over 15 awards. It was included in the official selections at festivals such as TIFF – Tirana International Film Festival and Balinale – Bali International Film Festival, and had its North American premiere in Los Angeles at the HollyShorts Film Festival. In Australia, it was first presented at the St Kilda FF; in Africa at the Alexandria Short FF; and in Europe it was also screened at festivals in Huesca FF and Odense FF. Its world premiere took place at the Lebu International Film Festival. It won 🏆 Best International Film at the New York Shorts IFF, 🏆 Best European Film at the festival in Navarra — a GOYA-qualifying festival — and also received the award for 🏆 Best Drama at the Glendale IFF.
The story of this film began to take shape when the film’s director, Erik Jasaň, was growing up in a household with two Roma children, because his sister had become a professional parent. At the same time, Slovakia was shaken by a tragic event in which a professional parent killed a one-year-old Roma girl who had been placed in his care. In Slovakia, being a professional parent is a job — a paid profession. These parents take children into their own homes and receive a monthly salary. Most of these children are of Roma origin. In eastern Slovakia, where poverty has persisted for decades, this has become a path to financial security. But when people with hidden racist tendencies enter the system, the consequences can be catastrophic.
The film was supported by Slovak Audiovisual Fund (www.avf.sk), Litfond Slovakia (www.litfond.sk) and Košice Regional Film Office and Košický samosprávny kraj (www.vucke.sk, www.fk-ksk.sk www.kosiceregion.com).
There is land destroyed by man. A place with no future where no one would want to return. Apart from one woman who seeks for her place on Earth.
The film was supported by the Slovakian Audiovisual Fund and Litfond Slovakia. The film is currently in production. The project was presented during pitching at the 30th Febiofest Bratislava and won the FIPADOC Doc Around Europe Award during the 38th Dok.fest Munich.