| Gypsies. The word conjures up romantic images of nomadic people, free to roam the world; however, that image of these Roma people, as they are called collectively, is far from accurate; today, the vast majority of Gypsies live in permanent housing; they continue to face the problems of serious poverty and illiteracy, which makes this classic documentary as useful as ever in bringing to light the struggle of modern gypsies adapting to the cultures of the countries they inhabit. Here we visit Granada, Spain, where Gypsies are generally known as Gitanos; they continue to speak Caló, which is basically Andalusian Spanish; they come together in markets, work mostly at low-paying jobs, and though many have strong family values, they find it difficult to integrate into Spanish society. Here too we meet Loli Fernandez and her typical Gypsy (Gitano) family, who are learning to cope with their present situation. Overall, Director Luis Perez Tolon shows the plight of Gypsies is similar to many ethnic minorities: how to be accepted in society while preserving your cultural identity. Produced by USC/Center of Visual Anthropology. 08DR/CL JSCA 22 min. Also available in English. |