Alma gitana

Ugh.

We can get the good stuff out of the way first. The depiction of flamenco dancing and the surrounding culture in Spain is really excellent. All of those sequences (although overly long) are very well done. In fact, they lead me to believe that this film would have made a good documentary. Alas, they tried to have a story...

This is, I guess, a romance film. It is a romance film about different cultures and race relations in Spain. If what I just described doesn't sound that interesting, that's probably because it isn't. Other than the above mentioned dancing sequences, there is really nothing appealing about this film. Even the story, which sounds coherent, really isn't. There is absolutely no empathy with any of the characters, evidenced by the fact that none of the people in the theatre I was in seemed to give a hang whether anybody lived or died or lived happily after or what.

I found myself wanting the protagonist to crash his stupid (and uncool, even though no one has apparently told him this) motorcycle into a brick wall and end this mess.

Granted, this is not a first-rate movie, as one of the other reviewers suggests, but it IS worthwhile with much value for anyone interested in contemporary Spanish society and, particularly, in gitanos and the role and importance of flamenco to their community. Romantic attraction between individuals from "majority" and "minority" communities is, of course, an age-old theme, one that gains new meaning in contemporary social contexts, given migratory patterns and the current pressures of global capitalism. The challenges that Lucía faces in this movie as she seeks to reconcile her own cultural values with her attraction to a payo (non Gypsy) are authentic and well-scripted. The love story that unfolds is certainly overstated and melodramatic in many ways, but not the cultural issues that come to play. And the music and dance is, in fact, first-rate.

Cultural drama about a love story between a gypsy (Amara Carmona) and a Payo (Pedro Alonso) and plenty of Flamenco music . A feud involving love , honor and integrity is at the center of this enjoyable film directed by Chus Gutiérrez . It concerns a young man called Antonio wishes to become a professional dancer , but things go wrong when he falls in love with a gypsy girl and gets in conflict with her utterly different cultural background . As the head of a gypsy community (Rafael Alvarez El Brujo) attempts to protect everyone he loves , and his daughter is his main worry. To complicate matters , the fierce proud , handsome Antonio eventually wants to investigate his past involving a car crash in which his mother died and there is a preacher (Peret) who knows about those deeds . Meanwhile , the gypsy clan seeks vengeance against Antonio .

This intense drama concerns about a blend of fiction and documentary about gypsy life . It is a thought-provoking drama that keeps you interested and expecting , including a stirring and exciting final . From start to finish this Flamenco film packs intense drama , songs , exciting scenes with some of the cultural, social, and spiritual connections that are maintained between these two separate but connected worlds : Gypsy and Payo . It is an interesting vision of gypsy universe through a story of rivalry among gypsies and Payos . This is a moving picture plenty of passion , emotion , human relationships and a complicated romance, but love can overcome these differences . This brooding as well as attractive flick can be defined as a thought-provoking drama , an exciting fresco with emotion , racism and a social fable . It contains agreeable and interesting moments , as the picture is more a drama with songs than a denounce-film. The movie explores issues of racism and bigotry by examining the way in which a society reacts to the appearance of a foreign presence, as when a black man is wrongly detained . This issue about gypsy family confrontation has been previously treated in other films such as ¨Los Tarantos¨(1963) by Francisco Rovira Beleta with Carmen Amaya , Sara Lezana , Antonio Gades , ¨Montoyas y Tarantos ¨(1989) by Vicente Escriba with Sancho Gracia , Cristina Hoyos , Esperanza Campuzano and ¨Gypsy¨ (2000) by Manuel Palacios with Laeitia Casta and Joaquin Cortes and ¨Vengo¨(2000) by Tony Gatlif with Antonio Canales , Antonio Dechent . The newcomer main cast gives regular interpretations , the support cast is better than main actors , as here appears notorious secondaries such as Julieta Serrano , Saturnino Garcia , Loles León , Sandra Ballesteros , Juan Carlos Bellido , Ramón Barea , among others .

Emotive musical score including dances , Flamenco songs splendidly sung by a extraordinary plethora of gypsy singers such as Ketama : Antonio Carmona, José Miguel Carmona and Juan Carmona , and the really preacher Peret . The cinematographer, Arnaldo Catinari , is great with light, using it crude and clever , creative and beautiful. The yarn is always dramatic as well as entertaining when is executed with style and the filmmaker certainly seems to have that . The motion picture was professionally directed by Chus Gutiérrez . She is one of the best Spanish directors who ha realized some good films such as ¨Insomnio¨ ¨Calentito¨ and ¨Poniente¨ and ¨Retorno a Hansal¨ both of them dealing with illegal immigration and a similar cast as Cuca Escribano , Antonio Dechent and Antonio De La Torre .¨Alma Gitana¨ is a passable and acceptable film . Rating 6/10 .

Sure it's cliche, but so is _Dance with Me_ ...

At least the scenery is fresh, and the flow is good (no small thanks to the music).

Granted I am biased - I study flamenco myself. But check out for yourself. I say it makes for a great party movie.