CEIJA STOJKA

Ceija Stojka is the portrait of 66-year-old Austrian Rom Ceija Stojka, who, after a nomadic childhood, settled in Vienna many years ago. In the recent past, Ceija Stojka's fame as an author, painter and singer has spread outside Austria. She represents the opening of Rom and Sinti society to the world of the "gadje". This process and all the difficulties it involves is unique in the history of the Rom of Central Europe. The central theme of the documentary is the fusion of two extremely different worlds in this fascinating woman. The film commences with the portrayal of Ceija Stojka as she is now and reconstructs her biography with all its wealth of references to the collective experiences of the Romani and Sinti from the thirties up to the present day. This cinematic portrait communicates a rare sense of vitality, which has its origin in a way of life that is now practically extinct.