I Do: The Roma Way

Logline: “A Roma couple has a wedding that combines cultural and religious traditions and celebrates virginity, love and fertility.”

Synopsis: There are many stories about how Gypsies steal or buy their brides. But for one couple in the Roma neighborhood in Blagoevgrad, their wedding is a chance to celebrate their 5 years of dating with a mix of Indian, Roma and Western traditions. We follow Filka and Rumen over the course of their 3-day wedding as the bride talks about getting checked for virginity, being dabbed in henna and even the importance she places on a church ceremony. In this intimate look into a Roma wedding, we get a rare glimpse of gypsy life.

Credits: Directed, shot and edited: Heidi Pullyard and Dimitria Vitanova.

This short documentary was produced as part of the Documentary Moviemaking class thought by Melody Gilbert at the American University in Bulgaria in the fall semester of 2014.

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[midlands]

I wonder how many Roma re aware their roots are indian?

[MariqStefan]

Milichkata mi, Bog da te blagoslowi, prekrasna si! Jelaq wi samo shtastie i lubow za cql jiwot, wqrwai w Boga i imai wqra i Toi shte te wuznagradi za turpenieto ti milichka! Amin!