DIRECTOR RETROSPECTIVE — TONY GATLIF – 15. Festiwal Filmu i Sztuki Dwa Brzegi | Lubelskie

Freedom

Alicja Sawicka — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 21:06:01 +0000

Travelling across Europe, the Roma stop in a French village where they have occasionally worked in the vineyards for several months. A war orphan, little Claude, whose parents have “gone away and never returned” is following their footsteps. A new law from the Vichy government is banning the nomadic lifestyle. The town’s mayor, Theodore and Miss Lundi, a teacher from the elementary school are trying to protect and help Roma people. Theodore sells them a piece of land to settle and to save them from internment and repression. However, people with free souls cannot stay there for long. Making a film about Samudaripen – the Roma Genocide, a silenced and poorly documented part of history, has been Gatlif’s desire since the beginning of his career.

I come

Alicja Sawicka — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 21:02:14 +0000

Red as blood flamenco draws on Spain’s rich, turbulent history. It’s passion, music and dance that combines Gypsy, Hebrew, Moorish and Andalusian traditions, becoming the voice of the impoverished and dispossessed. Casting for actors to tell the story of love and vendetta, Tony Gatlif turned to singers, dancers and musicians. He believed they would convey the tale of an obsession with revenge in an intuitive way. Contemporary’s Andalusia is the background for a drama that might as well have taken place in ancient times. Caco, the clan leader, witnessed the murder of his beloved daughter. Now the target of the vendetta is his nephew, Diego. In order to protect Diego Caco wants to end the centuries-old tradition of honorable deaths, which is so self-destructive and anachronistic.

Geronimo

Alicja Sawicka — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:58:13 +0000

Tony Gatlif takes us to the south of France, telling the story of two free-spirited, strong women acting out of the box. Nil, a teenager with Turkish roots runs away with her beloved one on the very day of a wedding, arranged by her family. A young French educator Geronimo (with the same name as the legendary Apache warrior) does everything in her power to stop the escalating conflict between the clashing clans. Gatlif has made music and dance full-fledged actors of “Geronimo”, Turkish and Spanish rhythms are the starting point, they emphasize emotions, raise the tension of the wait. The film was premiered as a special screening at the 2014 Cannes IFF.

The Crazy Stranger

Alicja Sawicka — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:53:16 +0000

The dying father of Stéphane, a young Frenchman from Paris, listened to Nora Luca’s voice before he died. Stéphane wants to meet the singer who is so important to his father, and in search of her he travels to Romania. He doesn’t expect to find much more than a voice, played from a cassette. Wandering along empty, frozen roads, he meets Isidore, who takes him to his village. The initial distrust between Stéphane and the Roma community turns into sympathy and after a few months of living among the Roma and waiting to meet Nora Luca the boy and Sabina fall in love with each other. Romain Duris and Rona Hartner (Stéphane and Sabina) are the only pair of professional actors in the movie.

Exiles

Alicja Sawicka — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 19:24:38 +0000

We are the heirs of our ancestors. We embrace tangible and intangible heritage. The succession of Zano and Naïma is the exile of their parents from their homeland, Algeria. Unexpectedly, Zano persuades his girlfriend to travel in the opposite direction. Through France and Spain they head for Algeria. It is a journey full of freedom, chance encounters, strong emotions and, as always, music that is essential in Gatlif’s work – from hypnotic, trance techno to sensual flamenco. The tour leads them to get to know themselves. Tony Gatlif was awarded Best Director at Cannes IFF for “Exiles”.