Take Us As We Are - Liza Mortimer makes short film for Ch4
"The flare and 'gypsy-suaveness' that we bring is as prevalent as ever." - Liza Mortimer
'Take us as we are' is a short film written and directed by Lisa Mortimer for Channel 4.The young filmmaker is also a performance artist working in Leicester and has just completed a Masters in Art at De Montfort University.
Speaking to the Travellers Times she said: "Take as us we are sends the message that we, the Gypsy Roma and Traveller community, are very much part of this world and the flare and 'gypsy-suaveness' that we bring is as prevalent as ever.”
The 23-year-old added: "This film represents heritage of the culture through archive footage and gives a reminder to Gypsies and Travellers in my generation that it is OK to keep our innate feeling to be nomadic and different. I am extremely happy I was able to make this short film with help from Rural Media, and I am proud of my family who inspire me to do work about who I am, a Romany Gypsy".
Starting life in 2012 as a late-night shorts strand on Channel 4, Random Acts has grown into a compilation TV programme dedicated website. First Acts is a partnership with Arts Council England and Channel 4 to give young artists and filmmakers aged 16-24 the opportunity to receive production support, mentoring and a small budget to create their own short films (90 secs to 3 mins). All the short films are ‘bold expressions of creativity’ - all are engaging, experimental, beautiful and quirky.
Rural Media, publishers of Travellers’ Times, chose Lizas's idea out of 100s submitted. Grant Black, Creative Director, said: “We couldn’t be happier with Liza’s final film. Seeing sections of the original documentary featuring Liza’s grandmother was powerful in itself but by weaving it with the modern footage, it really hits home about how we should be celebrating the freedoms of a Gypsy way of life and not having to seek acceptance.”
The film is now live on the Random Acts website and the Rural Media First Acts team will be working hard to get it into festivals, exhibitions and cinemas.