"Crazy Strangers" (1997). Original Title: Gadjo Dilo, Not Rated. Shown in conjunction with the Global Understanding Convention . Panelists: Dr. Marina Vujnovic, Dr. Mihaela Moscaliuc, and Marianna Tepfenhart .
Tony Gatlif's film tells of one man's search for a singer amidst the chaotically beautiful gypsies of Romania. It is a funny, crazy, and richly erotic celebration of the wildness in the human spirit. A shadowy undercurrent that surfaces at times is honestly faced and thus the story avoids romanticizing of a culture that the director knows well (he was of gypsy birth himself). Despite the destructive power of this shadow, what remains is a sense of the power of survival, joy, and a memory of music that is compelling beautiful.
