Swing

Synopsis

In a suburb of Strasbourg, Alsace, France, ten-year-old boy, Max, spends his summer vacation with his grandmother. He hears Manouche gypsy Romani music being played in a local bar, and loves it. He goes to visit the gypsies in search of a guitar, where he meets a young Romani tomboy, 'Swing'. She introduces Max to her gypsy community who live in caravans and down-at-heel public housing. Over several days, Max is taken into the community to witness Romani lifestyle, traditions, knowledge of plants, and particularly their Manouche music. Max is particularly fascinated by Miraldo, the Romani guitarist he first heard in the bar, and asks to take guitar lessons with him (Miraldo is played by one of the greatest guitarists of gypsy jazz, Tchavolo Schmitt).

Max and Swing develop a close bond, set to many strong and catchy musical moments (some featuring the music of Django Reinhardt). Max hears from a chainsmoking grandmother (played by Helene Mershtein) how she and one other child were the sole survivors of a group or Romani interred and shot during the Second World War. The mixed Algerian/Romany heritage of the Director is given homage by featuring a musical jam session with Miraldo and Khalid, played by Abdellatif Chaarani.

The film comes to a climax as Max finally learns to play a gypsy tune during his lesson, but just as we surmise Miraldo has succeeded in teaching him, he suffers a heart attack outside his caravan and dies. Following Romany tradition, Miraldo's caravan and personal effects are burned. Max's holiday comes to an end, and Max and Swing part company with sadness. The implication is that Max's Gadjo status (a Romani term designating those who are not of that ethnic group) is a gulf between them.

Details

Title: Swing

Director: Tony Gatlif

Screenplay: Tony Gatlif

Cinematography: Claude Garnier

Original Music: Mandino Reinhardt, Tchavolo Schmitt, Abdellatif Chaarani, Tony Gatlif

Release date: 20 March 2002

French and Romany with English subtitles

Genre: Dramatic comedy

Duration: 87 min.

Cast

Oscar Copp: Max

Lou Rech: Swing

Tchavolo Schmitt: Miraldo

Mandino Reinhardt: Mandino

Abdellatif Chaarani: Khalid

Fabienne Mai: Max's grandmother

Ben Zimet: Doctor Liberman

Colette Lepage: Miraldo's wife

Marie Genin: Max's mother

Helene Mershtein: the grandmother

Critical appreciation

In director Tony Gatlif's own words, "Music is the liberty that inspires me when I make my films, and gives me the energy to go out and meet people throughout the world. The film could not be made without music." "Swing is undeniably loose, a drawback in a thriller, probably, but an advantage for a film that tries to capture a fleeting moment as delicate as light on a pond," remarked Rick McGinnis, who gave the film four stars.