Panenka

The new docu-series for Canvas Life in Color throws taboos overboard and openly discusses racism in our educational system, the justice system, media, and all of us.

Throughout five episodes Karine Claassens will portray dozens of other people of color. They talk about the racism they have experienced and still do, and the impact those experiences have had on them. Women and men, young and old, living in Flemish villages and cities, with roots in Afghanistan, Burundi, China, Congo, Egypt, Haïti, Marocco, Rwanda, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, Vietnam and South-Sudan. They offer an insight in their hearts, often for the first time. This paves the way towards open and authentic testimonies. Powerful and fragile at the same time, often emotional, sometimes angry or awkward, occasionally surprisingly funny, and always captivating.

Experts Naima Charkaoui, Ama Kissi and Olivia U. Rutazibwa will place these testimonies in a broader social, historical and psychological context.

What drives people to treat others in a racist way? Hatred? Fear? Ignorance? On thing can be certain: we're not talking about bad apples here. We need to take a look at the tree.

The series was very well received by the Flemish press. Some examples:

• De Morgen: "Life in Color on Canvas: can we please make this series a mandatory watch in our schools?"
• De Standaard: "Claassen also showcases her own search for the right approach of the subject 'racism'. It's tough on her, and that's recognisable."
• Humo: "Karine Claassen deserves all the praise for the way she shows our society its true colors in 'Life in Color'."

Info:

• A series by Karine Claassen and Karel Van Mileghem
• Editor-in-chief: Sem Van Hellemont
• Genre: documentary
• Duration: 5 x 45min
• Release: VRT/Canvas, planned for October 2021
• Taping: 2020 and 2021
• Nominations: 'HA van HUMO'
• Award: Ensor for 'Best Documentary (TV-series)'