Lutvija Belmondo Mirga narrates a story about four generations. Belmondo is the central character of the film, a gypsy king who decides to establish his own gypsy village and names it Shanghai. Belmondo makes a living smuggling, and his power and influence grows. He even gets the local police and politics on his side, which helps him become untouchable by law. But with Yugoslavia's downfall, arms smuggling replaces goods smuggling. Though lucrative, the business starts to threaten Belmondo's personal life and he finds himself at a crossroads. Will he protect his own family or sacrifice his personal happiness for business ambitions? Shanghai Gypsy is a story about longing for happiness; it is a story about love and family ties, in which tears are intertwined with laughs. The story is set in the time of Yugoslavia's downfall and shot int the authentic Romani language.
—Arsmedia