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3 Films About Romany People The Romany people have been called by a variety of names, with “gypsy” as the most common in English (though some consider it pejorative). But beyond what is or is not politically correct, their rich culture and nomadic lifestyle has been the source for art in all genres, from music to cinema. Here are three films about the Romany that no one should miss. Time for Gypsies (1988) Directed by the prolific Balkan filmmaker Emir Kusturica, this is a Yugoslav production filmed in Romany and Serbo-Croatian. The movie tells the story of a young Romany man with magical powers who is tricked into engaging in petty crime. It is widely considered to be one of Kusturica's best films. The film was recorded in Sarajevo and Milan, by the Forum Sarajevo. Time for Gypsies was nominated for a Palme d'Or at Cannes, where Kusturika won the award for Best Director. The movie also won in the Best Foreign Film category at the 1990 César Awards in France. |
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Black Cat, White Cat (1998) Also directed by the creative Emir Kusturica, this romantic comedy tells the story of a small-time Romany smuggler and profiteer who lives with his teenage son Zare in a ramshackle house by the Danube River in eastern Serbia near the Bulgarian border. Received positively by critics, it won the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival. Korkoro (2009) This French drama directed by Tony Gatlif - who is also a screenwriter, composer, actor, and producer of Romany descent - is inspired by a Romany who escaped the Nazis with help from French villagers and based on an anecdote by the Romany historian Jacques Sigot. The movie’s cast includes many nationalities, such as Albanian, Kosovar, Georgian, Serbian, French, Norwegian, and nine Romany whom Gatlif recruited in Transylvania. It premiered at the Montréal World Film Festival, winning the Grand Prize of the Americas, among other awards. Korkoro, which means “alone” in the Romany language, is one of the few films in the market to tackle the Romany Holocaust.
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