Romani Studies 5, Vol. 17, No. 2 (2007), 141–154 issn 1528–0748

Nikolina Dobreva is a Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Literature at the University of Mas-sachusetts Amherst, 430 Herter Hall, 161 Presidents Drive, Amherst, ma 01003–9312. Email: dobreva@complit.umass.edu

Constructing the ‘Celluloid Gypsy’: Tony Gatlif and Emir Kusturica’s ‘Gypsy films’

in the context of New Europe

NIKOLINA DOBREVA

This article undertakes a comparative analysis of Tony Gatlif ’s and Emir Kusturica’s ‘Gypsy films’ in order to trace their construction of the image of the ‘Gypsy’ and its social and political implications, specifically with reference to each director’s ethnic-ity, his popular success, and his audience’s expectations. Several important aspects of identity and ethnic representation are addressed in the process. While previous research has focused on the significance of realism and authenticity when constructing ethnic representation in film, this article questions the relevance of the two in the case of Romani representation, and situates the representational debate within the context of the European Union and the issues relevant to the creation of a specifically European identity.

Keywords: Tony Gatlif, Emir Kusturica, European Union, Roma, film, ethnic represen-tation

In the past two decades, two directors, Tony Gatlif and Emir Kusturica, have consistently produced films focused on Romani1 themes. These two film-mak-ers are arguably the most important figures in the contemporary construction of the image of the Gypsy in cinema. Gatlif is of mixed Algerian and Romani descent, and hence often viewed as a native informant providing an authentic representation of his people. In addition, his movies have been distributed in art houses and have become moderately popular in intellectual circles. It is likely that the only Gypsy movie with which audiences in the West might be familiar was made by Gatlif. In contrast, Kusturica has no Romani ancestry, but his films have been major box-office successes in the Balkans, often out-earning Hollywood blockbusters. It is thus likely that the cinematic representa-tion of the Roma to which audiences in that region have been exposed is that of Kusturica.

I would like to acknowledge the invaluable input of Krista Harper, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, without whose comments and guidance this article would not have been possible.1. For the purposes of this article I use the term ‘Gypsies’ to refer to the Roma’s representation in films and other narratives. I use ‘Roma’ to refer to the ethnic group itself, not to its representation.