Papirnati život / Paper, Horse and Birds – Documentary

The documentary “Papirnati život / Paper, Horse and Birds ” follows a day of a Roma family, collectors of secondary raw materials, living in the settlement of Crvena zvezda in Niš, Serbia. Following their activities – collecting scrap iron and paper, sorting them, family lunch, as well as their daily conversations, we get a picture of how they survive and the difficulties they have. Despite the objectively difficult financial situation, we get a picture of a harmonious family where solidarity and warm interpersonal relations prevail.

The film works dramaturgically on three levels. In the first, it is a documentary about a family day. In the second, through interviews with family members, it is a story about the position of Roma, the work of minor children and their exploitation. In the third level, through the thoughts of the main character Julian, it is playing with stereotypes about the Roma, Roma culture and “fate”, and the stereotypes that exist about the Roma community.