In 2006 I went with filmmaker Branislav Jovanovic to Belgrade. He wanted to make a documentary about the Roma gypsies. Serbia was kind of instable. An independence referendum was held in Montenegro on 21 May 2006. The whole region was in political turmoil, yet we wanted to know how the poorest made it through the day

Even after all these years, I still get emotional by watching the hardship the children endure surviving on the streets of Belgrade. The documentary of Branislav Jovanovic, captures the spirit by recording the music which plays an important part in Roma culture. When a street musician plays: “Oh my Suza, Suzanne, you’re my only concern”, it goes straight to the heart. (18 minutes into the film)

Neighboring a luxurious hotel, there was a growing community of cardboard homes just below the bridges and viaducts. It’s a very close community for outsiders, yet we got a peek view what surviving in the cardboard ghetto of Europe means. We participate in a family’s struggle to survive for a day.

Above all Free Society is a story about love. The degree of civilization of a state is measured by how it treats and looks after the unprivileged.

I am happy to get the message out by doing part of the camerawork of this movie.

*Alexander Dijkgraaf
Alternative thinking is free