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WE USED TO BE BIRDS BEFORE
2015 / 2016 Gipsy Duende Students End of Year Show
3rd of July of 2016
Auditório da Biblioteca Orlando Ribeiro theatre room
Based on the animation film Прежде мы были птицами by Garri Bardine (URSS 1982), which narrates the traditional Romani folktale ‘We Used to Be Birds Before', and inspired by the film Табор уходит в небо (Gypsies Are Found Near Heaven), produced by Emil Loteanu (URSS 1975) based on the literary work of Maksim Gorki.
'A legend tells that a long time ago Roma used to be birds. One day while flying above the lands, they saw a golden palace shining under the sun and decided to fly closer to take a better look. The hosts of the palace, turkeys, hens and ducks, were so dazzled by the beauty of the Roma-birds that they began to offer them precious jewels and all kinds of sweets and begged them to stay in their country. Soon all the birds became covered with golden chains, from head to toe. One bird only had resisted those temptations while encouraging the others to regain their flight. It was the only one that had not touched the gold. Unfortunately, no one heard it. So the poor bird rose into the skies and threw itself down over the stones. Only then did the Roma-birds awake from their sleep and beat their wings. But the gold dragged them down and prevented them from rising off the ground. The turkeys, hens and ducks sang their victory, for now these beautiful birds would forever remain in their gilded cages. Suddenly, a small red feather made its entrance into the palace and sliding between everyone’s fingers, landed at the birds’ feet. At this moment, all the gold fell off their bodies. However their wings no longer obeyed. They no longer were able to fly. The small red feather, gently picked up by the wind, left the palace and went wandering over dusty roads. Roma followed it and, as they began losing their feathers one by one, they changed from birds into people. With a human body and a bird’s soul, they never again remembered how to fly...'
2015 / 2016 Gipsy Duende Students End of Year Show
3rd of July of 2016
Auditório da Biblioteca Orlando Ribeiro theatre room
Based on the animation film Прежде мы были птицами by Garri Bardine (URSS 1982), which narrates the traditional Romani folktale ‘We Used to Be Birds Before', and inspired by the film Табор уходит в небо (Gypsies Are Found Near Heaven), produced by Emil Loteanu (URSS 1975) based on the literary work of Maksim Gorki.
'A legend tells that a long time ago Roma used to be birds. One day while flying above the lands, they saw a golden palace shining under the sun and decided to fly closer to take a better look. The hosts of the palace, turkeys, hens and ducks, were so dazzled by the beauty of the Roma-birds that they began to offer them precious jewels and all kinds of sweets and begged them to stay in their country. Soon all the birds became covered with golden chains, from head to toe. One bird only had resisted those temptations while encouraging the others to regain their flight. It was the only one that had not touched the gold. Unfortunately, no one heard it. So the poor bird rose into the skies and threw itself down over the stones. Only then did the Roma-birds awake from their sleep and beat their wings. But the gold dragged them down and prevented them from rising off the ground. The turkeys, hens and ducks sang their victory, for now these beautiful birds would forever remain in their gilded cages. Suddenly, a small red feather made its entrance into the palace and sliding between everyone’s fingers, landed at the birds’ feet. At this moment, all the gold fell off their bodies. However their wings no longer obeyed. They no longer were able to fly. The small red feather, gently picked up by the wind, left the palace and went wandering over dusty roads. Roma followed it and, as they began losing their feathers one by one, they changed from birds into people. With a human body and a bird’s soul, they never again remembered how to fly...'
Creation & production
Mónica Roncon
Students participating in the show
Annie Cecille-Fernandes
Bela Anb
Isetinha Vera
Maria Do Mar Rafael
Vera Mahsati
Virginie Podevin
Light design & operation
Sergioquim Justin
Image recording
Alexandra Afonso & Sergioquim Justin
Photo credits communication
© Ana Ribeiro
Graphic design & video editing
Mónica Roncon
Photo credits show
© Luís Conde
Acknowledgments
Ana Ribeiro
Cláudia Sequeira Laia
Hindu community of Lisbon
Luís Conde
Parish Council of Lumiar
Rita Fontes