Young Roma actors, together with the Kesaj Tchave Roma children's folklore ensemble, will share the $20,000 that the Slovak makers of the film Cigán (Gypsy) won at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, with the filmmakers telling the SITA newswire that they originally had absolutely no idea that the special jury prize also included a financial award.
The producer agreed with the film's director, Martin Šulík, that $12,000 will go to the film's three main actors, Janko Mižigár, Martina Kotlárová and Martin Hangurbadž. The funds will go to a special account for their further education.
The remaining $8,000 will be donated to the Kesaj Tchave Roma children's' folklore ensemble managed by Helena and Ivan Akim who had helped the film's creators in the initial phases of the production.
In its first week in Slovak theatres, 8,976 viewers had seen the film, surpassed only by the last Harry Potter sequel in first-week attendance.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
