This one hour documentary for the National Film Board combines the texture, details, personalities, and the history of the Romany people, with a passionate performance of Gypsy singing, music, and dance.
Synopsis
Passion, longing, persecution... these are words that inevitably come to mind when writing about the Gypsy experience. Few Canadians are aware that there are as many as 100,000 Gypsies, or Romany people in Canada. Many hide their origins for fear of persecution, and others are so assimilated, they no longer claim to be of Romany origin, or are even aware of it.This film follows the emotional journeys and community building of a diverse group of people from different generations, all of Romany origins, celebrating the culture that binds and sustains them: a family of Czech refugees; a passionate defender of human rights for Romany in Canada and around the world; a father who "passed" for Jewish for years to avoid persecution... All find a sense of community and belonging with each other, as they come together to enjoy the music formed out of centuries of exile and oppression. This special combines the texture, the details, the personalities, and the history of the Romany people, with a passionate performance of Gypsy singing, music, and dance.
Credits
Featuring music by Los Canasteros, and special guests.Producer: Gillian Darling Kovanic
Director/Editor: Tony Papa
Writer: Sharon Gibbon
Story Editor: Andrew Gardner
Directory of Photography: Glenn Taylor
Surround Sound Design: Marc Benoit (at Orca Pacific Studios)
Additional Cinematography: Tony Papa