In November and December, our special series is dedicated to Final Cut: remarkable endings in the broadest sense of the word.
Time of the Gypsies is an epic story about the Roma people living in the former Yugoslavia during the 1980s. The film follows a poor boy with a unique gift, he can move objects with his mind, but keeps this a secret. When his secret is exploited, a cycle of violence and betrayal unfolds, told in five chapters, each depicting a different phase of his life.
Cinematically, the film is remarkably strong: dream sequences and Tarkovsky-inspired metaphysical elements give the story an almost mythical glow. The music is iconic, and the use of non-professional actors and authentic locations contributes to its false documentary-like feel.
Emir Kusturica’s magnum opus shifts effortlessly between comedy, drama, and tragedy. In his portrayal of the marginalized Roma, Kusturica employed stereotypes that present the community as ‘exotic.’ Yet Time of the Gypsiesremains one of the few films to focus on Roma culture, spoken in Romani and featuring Roma actors