While the Decade of Roma Inclusion launched in Europe earlier this year, an audience of Rom and non-Rom came to a day of Roma music, culture and discussion in New York:
(4 mins, 4MB Quicktime)
about our ongoing outreach efforts
While finishing the film, we're starting to develop educational materials and an outreach program. Lucy Kaye's article on MediaRights.org tells a little about the beginning of our outreach program for the 'Gypsy Caravan' concert tour feature documentary:
www.mediarights.org/news/articles/outreach_journal_i_caravan.php
The RECENT UPDATE on mediarights.org is by Associate Producer, Sara Nolan, and tells you about our preparations and outreach to Romani communities for an event day with screenings of the 'Caravan' feature documentary and 'Searching for the 4th Nail' by Romani filmmaker George Eli (Executive Produced by Little Dust), combined with a Panel Discussion and an exhibition of photos by Jan Yoors:
www.mediarights.org/news/articles/outreach_journal_ii_caravan.php
PRODUCTION JOURNAL & a few quirky notes:
GYPSY CARAVAN MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
This production continues in collaboration with ITVS, the funding arm of PBS (www.itvs.org), who came on board as a major funder in January 2002. We've also joined forces with a prestigious sales agent, Fortissimo Films, whose managers are Executive Producing our film along with San Fu Maltha of A-Films in the Netherlands.
BACKSTORY. In Spring 2001, when this film was still a dream, we attended a Taraf de Haidouks concert in New York and Albert Maysles filmed it for possible inclusion in the "Gypsy Caravan" film. "How can I ever thank you?" he said as the concert came to a close. "That was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life." (And that's coming from a man of many many experiences!). Some of the concert was also filmed by young New York Romani filmmaker, George Eli. The Romanian musicians were on top form and afterwards a few of them went to an Italian diner where they met a dozen or so American Rom who happened to drop in. By the end of the evening, we were determined to record top Romani artists on film, and make a feature about the splendour of their music and the reality of their lives.
ON THE ROAD. It was autumn of 2001 when World Music Institute's 'GYPSY CARAVAN 2' Concert Tour was on the road round the USA and Jasmine Dellal trailed them with a camera... the music was magical, the images beautiful and it was a lot of fun.
Then in December we went to Rajasthan and spent some time with the musicians of Maharaja. Harish lives in the city of Jaiselmer, near the Pakistan border. The war there is discouraging tourists who come to see concerts, which a lot of the village musicians depend support their families. But the music is no less ed when the maestros come out to play. We also spent a lot of time with Harish's family and learnt how he began his career and we visited the different "Gypsy" colonies of his city. Striking snap shots: Harish riding a camel in his sequined dress and dancing on the sand dunes. In the small village of Barnawar we visited Barkat, Bachu, Chayer and the other Manganyar musicians of Maharaja. They welcomed us into their thatched homes and allowed us to live with their families and hear desert music every night under the full moon.
In the spring we visited Antonio El Pipa, and his aunt, Juana la del Pipa, in southern Spain. We were there during the famed Fer’a de Jerez, when the city is filled with horses and everyone is celebrating flamenco. We filmed Antonio at home, with his family and at the fair with his wife and toddler daughter. Across town, Juana's whole family gathered every day for meals, the make sure the kids get to school, to play around on instruments and to take us to their church. Meanwhile, all the musicians were rehearsing for an upcoming show, which Antonio choreographed with some new dancers in his company.. this fascinating insight into the creative process took place in one of the most beautiful rehearsal studios I could ever have imagined.
We completed all of our filming in Macedonia and Romania too.. but I'll have to write about that later...
Bits 'n' Pieces of News about Our Films and the People in them...:
AMERICAN GYPSY
We're happy to announce that this film won the Best Documentary Prize from the Golden Wheel Festival in Macedonia. This is a particular honour because, as far as we know, it is the First Roma Film Festival in the world, organized by and about Roma. (November 2002)
** AWARDED BBC Radio 3 World Music Award **
presented by Johnny Depp in London to
Taraf de Haidouks
Gypsy Musicians of Romania
Taraf de Haidouks' invigorating music represents the full richness of the
Transylvanian folk tradition performed in its unique Gypsy style. The
group, whose name translates as "band of brigands," first came to worldwide attention through its participation in the award-winning film Latcho Drom, and later received accolades as part of WMI's 1999 Gypsy Caravan Tour which toured North America. The 11-member troupe, spanning three generations and ranging in age from 20 to 78, performs on fiddles, accordions, cymbaloms (hammered dulcimers), bass and vocals.
Top of Page
|
Home
|
Films
|
About Us
|
Contact Us
|
News
|
Event
|
Links
© Little Dust Productions, All Rights Reserved
|
Last Updated: November 16 2002
|
