once we were birds kristina goikoetxea
USA minority cinema, many popular movies budding, a bunch of young talented characters, the last innovations in multimedia and cinema and zero glamour. These are, above all, Rotterdam International Film Festival ingredients. Anyway, and every year�s peculiar honor guests: Takeshi Kitano and Catherine Breillat among others this year. This year they have wanted to seal their peculiar connection with the festival with their new movie. But there�s been a surprise. Once we were birds has been the work presented in the gypsy made movie section. In previous years the program was offered to aborigine and inuit cinema; this year instead, it�s been gypsy�s turn.
To tell the truth, movies about gypsies is nothing new. In fact, gypsy cinema started in the time of silent movies, Charlie Chaplin himself had a real gypsy. But it is also true that gypsy culture has been generally told by non-gypsies.
Gypsies have always appeared in a romantic way, totally idealized or totally devil. In fact, they�ve been portrayed as exotic material until very recently. Besides. those stereotyped roles have most of the times been played by nongypsy actors (remember Johnny Depp in �Chocolat� movie). In short, movies �about us but without us.� That is why Rotterdam has wanted to research this field and has crossed Asia, Europe and America in search of film material. The result thirty long movies and shorts from the last four decades.
Tony Gatlif, French-Algerian must have been the first gypsy director. His 1983 �Les princes� film has often been dubbed "the first movie about gypsies made by a gypsy". This movie tells us the story of Gatlif and the problems endured in a northern Paris district. Some critics say Gatlif took a more exotic perspective in the later movie �Latcho drom�. Gatlif goes ahead with the gypsy cultural trip, from India to Europe without even spelling a word. Music and dances being the sole axis of that narration. It could be exotic but nobody can deny the magic of the movie. Anyway and without question, Emir Kusturica was the first to masterfully film the first gypsies. In his movies it�s always been gypsies themselves that played roles using their own language and music. �Time of the Gypsies� could be the most celebrated. What is more, a true story is told in this movie: sold children in Yugoslavia. Even though it is very realistic, like in all other Kusturica movies (�Underground�, �Black Cat White Cat�), his poetry and magic realism are notorious.
New projects have also had room. �La Mina� (2003) for example, has recalled much attention. Director Hannah Collins tells the daily life of six gypsies who live in a peripheral district in Barcelona. As if it were a single theater the movie is shown in five screens at the same time. Suddenly, for forty minutes you feel as if you were living in La Mina district. And of course there have been international premieres. Tonino Zangardi, gypsy director, couldn�t have thought of a better scenario for his �Prendimi e portami via� premiere. The movie is a genuine reflection of nowadays gypsy life. Set in Italy, it could happen in any district in any city of the world. As it is usually stated the movie clearly states "it doesn�t matter what gypsies do but who they are...".
DJANESA TU
(Fari Jasar)
Djanesa tu karing si I Romani phuv
Na nadjanav
I Romani phuv si odoring
Kote so djivdinema o Roma.
Djanesa tu karing si o Romano barvalipe
Na nadjav
O Romano barvalipa si odoring
Kaj so si i gilji thaj i khelin.
Djanesa tu karing si o Romano djivdipa
Na nadjanav
O Romano djivdipa si telal ko cherenja
Thaj pa_i jag.
Djanesa tu kana o Roma hohaven
Na nadjanav
O Roma hohaven kana pumare grastoren
Von bikinen.
Djanesa tu soske na djanes
Tu na djanes goleske
Soske tu naj san Rom.
DO YOU KNOW
Do you know where is the country of the Roma people?
No, I don�t know
The Roma-country is there
Where the Roma people live.
Do you know where is the Roma-wealth?
No, I don�t know.
The Roma people wealth is there
Where the song and the dance is.
Do you know where is the Roma-life?
No, I don�t know.
The Roma people life is under the stars
And near by the fire.
Do you know when the Roma people lie?
No, I don�t know
The Roma people lie when they sell their horses
Do you know why you don�t know?
You don�t know, because you aren�t a Rom!
To tell the truth, movies about gypsies is nothing new. In fact, gypsy cinema started in the time of silent movies, Charlie Chaplin himself had a real gypsy. But it is also true that gypsy culture has been generally told by non-gypsies.
Gypsies have always appeared in a romantic way, totally idealized or totally devil. In fact, they�ve been portrayed as exotic material until very recently. Besides. those stereotyped roles have most of the times been played by nongypsy actors (remember Johnny Depp in �Chocolat� movie). In short, movies �about us but without us.� That is why Rotterdam has wanted to research this field and has crossed Asia, Europe and America in search of film material. The result thirty long movies and shorts from the last four decades.
Tony Gatlif, French-Algerian must have been the first gypsy director. His 1983 �Les princes� film has often been dubbed "the first movie about gypsies made by a gypsy". This movie tells us the story of Gatlif and the problems endured in a northern Paris district. Some critics say Gatlif took a more exotic perspective in the later movie �Latcho drom�. Gatlif goes ahead with the gypsy cultural trip, from India to Europe without even spelling a word. Music and dances being the sole axis of that narration. It could be exotic but nobody can deny the magic of the movie. Anyway and without question, Emir Kusturica was the first to masterfully film the first gypsies. In his movies it�s always been gypsies themselves that played roles using their own language and music. �Time of the Gypsies� could be the most celebrated. What is more, a true story is told in this movie: sold children in Yugoslavia. Even though it is very realistic, like in all other Kusturica movies (�Underground�, �Black Cat White Cat�), his poetry and magic realism are notorious.
New projects have also had room. �La Mina� (2003) for example, has recalled much attention. Director Hannah Collins tells the daily life of six gypsies who live in a peripheral district in Barcelona. As if it were a single theater the movie is shown in five screens at the same time. Suddenly, for forty minutes you feel as if you were living in La Mina district. And of course there have been international premieres. Tonino Zangardi, gypsy director, couldn�t have thought of a better scenario for his �Prendimi e portami via� premiere. The movie is a genuine reflection of nowadays gypsy life. Set in Italy, it could happen in any district in any city of the world. As it is usually stated the movie clearly states "it doesn�t matter what gypsies do but who they are...".
DJANESA TU
(Fari Jasar)
Djanesa tu karing si I Romani phuv
Na nadjanav
I Romani phuv si odoring
Kote so djivdinema o Roma.
Djanesa tu karing si o Romano barvalipe
Na nadjav
O Romano barvalipa si odoring
Kaj so si i gilji thaj i khelin.
Djanesa tu karing si o Romano djivdipa
Na nadjanav
O Romano djivdipa si telal ko cherenja
Thaj pa_i jag.
Djanesa tu kana o Roma hohaven
Na nadjanav
O Roma hohaven kana pumare grastoren
Von bikinen.
Djanesa tu soske na djanes
Tu na djanes goleske
Soske tu naj san Rom.
DO YOU KNOW
Do you know where is the country of the Roma people?
No, I don�t know
The Roma-country is there
Where the Roma people live.
Do you know where is the Roma-wealth?
No, I don�t know.
The Roma people wealth is there
Where the song and the dance is.
Do you know where is the Roma-life?
No, I don�t know.
The Roma people life is under the stars
And near by the fire.
Do you know when the Roma people lie?
No, I don�t know
The Roma people lie when they sell their horses
Do you know why you don�t know?
You don�t know, because you aren�t a Rom!
