Sasa Barbul was born in 1981 in Žabalj, Serbia. He is a Serbian theater and film director, as well as a writer, actor and activist. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, after which he studied law and journalism in Novi Sad. His first play, which he also directed, is called »Roma and then« and was performed in Žabalj in 2001. In 2005, he went to Vienna, where he acted in various stage plays including »Futur Roma« and »Liebesforschung« (2006); in 2013, he participated in the performance »Österreicher, integriert euch!« (God’s Entertainment), the »Neue Bohemian Gastarbeiteroper« (Alexander Nikolić), and in the plays »Botschaft von Astoria« (Sandra Selimović) and »Die Irre von Chaillot« (Manfred Michalke). Since 2001, he has focused on Roma issues in his work as a co-founder of the Student Union of Roma in Novi Sad and as a member of the NGO Young Roma Researchers. He was the director of the documentaries »Amaro Drom-Unser Weg« / »Amaro Drom-Our way« (2012), »Bitte nicht vergessen« / »Please don’t forget« (2012), »Gazela –Temporary Shelter from 100-500 Years« (2009) and a theater performance »Roma Before and Now« (2001).
Barbul made his first cinematic debut in the feature film »Bad Fucking by Harald Sicheritz. His first, more prominent role was in the Austro-German crime film »Das ewige Leben« by director Wolfgang Murnberger. After that, he had a guest appearance in the Austrian television series »4 Frauen und 1 Todesfall« (Wolfgang Murnberger).
In 2015, Barbul organised and curated the first Roma Film Festival at Vienna’s Stadtkino (»Opre Roma Film Festival«). He is a member of the IRFC (International Romani Film Commission) and the ‘Mindj Panther Roma Armee Fraktion’. He worked together with Philomena Grassl on a family portrait in a Serbian Romani settlement (»Das andere bessere Leben« / »Drugi Bolji Zivot«, 2015).
Saša Barbul
Occupation activist, actor, Director, writer