Vengo

I think that if one has a personal understanding of the history of the circumstances which tie Andalucia and North Africa together, along with some of the cultural, social, and spiritual connections that are maintained between these two separate but connected worlds, the movie Vengo will strike you as being very symbolic.

There is a lot which is implied and will go right over your head if you are not aware of the culture and history of this region (as well as being aware of the life and struggles of Gatlif as a Gypsy man born in Algeria, caught between these two worlds). Gatlif does not spell anything out for you. He leaves it up to you to try to put the pieces together, and he knows that there are certain types of people, with a certain awareness, who will be attracted to his films.

I thought Vengo was incredibly deep with so much true emotion and so much of the subtle and misunderstood inner-struggles of the people of Andalucia being depicted through a number of overlapping stories and characters: The retarded nephew, the man whose daughter had died, the feuding Gypsy families, the exiled father of the son living in Morrocco, etc.

This movie told the tale of a people and their will to hold on to the purest ("Flamenco Puro!") sources of happiness and joy within their lives, amidst circumstances which seemed destined to tear them a part and undermine their unity.

An incredibly beautiful story with lots of information, emotion, and spirit. If you are open, this movie will touch your soul.

Cultural drama about a gypsy feud and plenty of Flamenco music . The flick deals with the confrontation between two groups of gypsy clans , it starts with Caco (Antonio Canales) , a head of a gypsy community who attempts to protect everyone he loves , he is very powerful in the local neighborhood . Yet he has been torn to pieces by the death of his intimate child . He constantly visits her grave, weeps silently at her photo and has transferred all his wildly protective love and attention onto his dim-witted nephew Diego (Orestes) . It seems that Diego's father, Caco's brother (Antonio Dechent) is in hiding for killing a Caravacas member , who are equally powerful in the gypsy society . To complicate matters , Caco eventually wishes to forget his past but a gypsy clan seeks vengeance against his brother . They are seeking revenge and have come to Caco for justice . When he refuses to betray his brother who is fleeing after having killed a man from the Caravacas family , they grow impatient . They then realize they are getting nowhere, they threaten to murder Diego . Caco has become involved with the violent gypsy faction that puts him at odds with his own responsibilities . Despite his pride , Caco spontaneously realizes that the cycle of murder and vendetta must be broken .

This intense drama concerns about a blend of fiction and documentary about gypsy life . From start to finish this Flamenco film contains drama , an intrigue about gypsy feud , thrills , emotion and a lot of songs . It is an interesting vision of gypsy universe through a story of rivalry among two families . 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 . ¨Vengo¨ is a thought-provoking drama that keeps you interested and expecting , including a tragic final taking on . Main cast gives nice interpretations , as a good acting by Antonio Canales as Caco , a fierce proud , handsome man who protects his physically challenged nephew and a fine performance from Antonio Dechent as his brother who is in hiding after killing a Caravaca member . Emotive musical score including dances in Derviche style and gypsy-African sounds ; with Flamenco songs splendidly sung by a extraordinary plethora of gypsy singers such as El Moro , Manuel Vega Salazar , Tomatito , Sheikh Ahmad Al Tuni , La Caita , Gritos De Guerra , among others . The cinematographer, Thierry Pouget , is great with light, using it crude and clever , creative and beautiful . The motion picture well written by David Trueba was professionally directed by Tony Gatlif . This is a good film that has achieved international knowledge and Closed the Venice Film Festival in 2000.

"Vengo" is a wonderfully alive feast of the flamenco music, dance, and rhythms of the contemporary Andalusia gypsies of Southern Spain built on a ominously rumbling story of a blood feud and death. Not your usual movie fare, "Vengo" divides its time equally between musical ethnic folk singing and dancing from gala festivities to impromptu "jam" sessions to funeral laments while inching the family feud story slowly forward with the kinetic tempos of flamenco rhythms everpresent. More art than entertainment, "Vengo" will appeal most to those into foreign or ethnic films with bold musical underpinnings. Those who enjoy "Vengo" might want to check out "Flamenco (de Carlos Saura)", "Assassination Tango", "Tango, no me dejes nunca", and the like. (B+)

A simple story of gossip and revenge in a Spaniard little town is the core of a great flamenco/gitano musical film, where you can see the Today's best artist of this musical genre. With a non-conventional camera that catch your senses in every story moment, great narration, music-video clip quality editing and all of that is combined with the rhythm of every song. The tragedy is exposed from the beginning but director address you there until the last second of the last image. Recommended for those with passion running in their bloods.

The story is told by images and music. A real semiotic statement and another ode to the love of music by the gypsie people. The film tells you a story about a vendetta and the consequenses of it, played by real people with deep human emotions. A honest document, another masterpiece after Gadjo Dillo and Lacho Drome. I love this movie and it made me laugh and weep, also I couldn't sit still during the music scenes with authentic flamengo/gypsie music. Any musiclover should see this film to explore the roots of spanish music.