A COVENTRY university student has helped create a film featuring his pioneering mother highlighting the challenges Roma people living in the UK have experienced due to Brexit and Covid-19.
Hynek Psenicka, 20, is a second-year film production student who recently worked on ‘Leaving to Remain’, a documentary film which has been shown in cinemas and at film festivals this year.
The documentary follows the experiences of three Roma people living in Britain and their challenges following the pandemic and the decision for the country to leave the European Union.
Hynek’s mum Denisa Gannon is among those featured in the film.
Denisa became the first Roma person to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales after gaining her qualification in 2018.
She now works to support victims of domestic abuse and provide assistance to Roma people.
For Leaving to Remain, Hynek filmed his mum as she used her legal expertise to assist members of the Roma community.
Hynek, whose ambition is to write and direct, said: “I know the film has got quite a political message but my main reason for getting involved was the chance to film my mum and tell her story- I’m proud of her achievements.
“The reception to the film has been really good, I’ve been to a couple of the showings, including in Czechia and there have been some rave reviews.”
