News and Announcements
Online Release of the Ethnomusicological Documentary Hopa lide
Petr Nuska, PhD
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow Slovak Academy of Sciencesnuska@eu.cas.cz The ethnographic film Hopa lide (2023) has been released online and is now freely available to all students and scholars. Awarded an Honourable Mention for Best Documentary Film or Video at the 2024 ICTMD Film Prize, Hopa lide offers a distinctive perspective on Romani musical life in Slovakia.
Made as part of a PhD research project, the film demonstrates how student work can evolve into a contribution recognized by both academic and film communities. Created in close collaboration with Romani musicians, it avoids the typical outsider gaze and instead invites participants to become co-directors of their own stories through the making of music videos. The result is a lively, three-chapter journey that blends energetic performance with candid backstage moments, and the playful creativity of music video-making.
For students, Hopa lide can serve as an accessible introduction to ethnographic filmmaking and the challenges of documenting music. It also works as a case study in participatory methods, showing how collaboration reshapes questions of authorship and representation. At the same time, it is a vivid resource for exploring the musical culture of Slovak Roma. Finally, it may inspire early-career researchers by showing that even as students, one can pursue projects that have an impact within and beyond academia. Watch online here: https://hopalide.nuska.me