This episode of Frontier Cafe features Slovakian documentary filmmakers Marek Šulík and Jana Belišová. The host, Milan Zivkovic, and the duo discussed their works with Roma music, how film functions as a means of cultural diplomacy, and honest cinema depicting minority voices. I hope you enjoy our thrilling conversation about the interplay between music and film!

Marek Šulík (1974, Žilina, Slovakia), documentary filmmaker, editor and screenwriter, graduated from the Academy of Musical Arts in Bratislava in Dušan Hanák's class. He often collaborates on films with non-profit organizations (Media 3, Návrat, IVO, Občan a demokracia, Žudro). In his work, he mainly focuses on social documentaries.

Filmography: Heavy Heart, Bells of Happiness, Cans of Time, I wanted to be a Mother, Cigarettes & Songs.

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Jana Belišová (1965), graduated in 1990 in ethnology and musicology at the Faculty of Arts of Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. Presently she works at the Institute of Musicology of the SAS in Bratislava and is the director of CA Žudro. As an author and researcher, she was involved in several projects dealing with Roma music such as Phurikane giľa 1 and 2 (Ancient Roma Songs), Karačoňa (Roma Christmas Songs), Odi kaľi mačkica (Roma Children Songs), Neve giľa (New Roma Songs), AfterPhurikane (creative dialogue among Roma and non-Roma musicians and singers), Roma Christian Songs, Silalo panori / Cold Water are represented by anthologies of songs, CDs, DVDs, documentary films, concerts, articles and lectures.

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Roma music used by permission of Jana Belišová. We are grateful to her, and the civil association Žudro, for sharing these beautiful musical gems with us and our audiences.

Additional info and links:

Marek's interview:

https://www.womex.com/virtual/piranha_arts_1/news/understand_the_roma

CIGARETTES & SONGS trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu0AIgoKeuo

Jana's work:

https://www.newmodelradio.sk/gilav-ii-hudba-ktori-si-spievaju-romovia/

https://comeniusuniversity.academia.edu/JanaBelisova

Jana is the director of Žudro, http://www.zudro.sk/