LATCHO DROM Friday June 20th 8pm

Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In presents:

Latcho Drom

a film by director and writer Tony Gatlif

Friday June 20th 8pm
Swift Street Railroad Tracks
Westside Santa Cruz

This magical, enticing film offers a musical and choreographic vision of the Gypsies' trek from their original home in India, through the Middle East, to Eastern and Central Europe. This journey takes place over a year's time, from summer through fall and winter to spring.

Latcho Drom or "safe journey" illustrates the variety of conditions in which the Romany people live -- earthbound nomads in the hot deserts of Asia, ironsmiths and abjectly poor tree-dwellers in the frozen plains of Eastern Europe, and craftspeople and traders in the hills and seasides of north Africa and western Europe. Filmmaker Tony Gatlif -- who himself has Gypsy ancestry -- captures his people's ever-changing culture. In each new country where the Gypsies settled, their songs, dances and costume absorbed elements of local traditions; thus, there are Indian drums, Oriental belly-dancing, Hungarian violins and Spanish guitars. Throughout, via song and dance, young and old celebrate, embody, and teach the cultural values of family, journey, love, separateness, and persecution.

PLUS thrilling and funny short films, an intermission, challenging ideas of public space, an enchanting urban wasteland location, great company, and a guaranteed good time!

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable in the great outdoors, friends, food and drink to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome. (We are currently paying for new equipment.)

URBAN WASTELAND LOCATION: S on Hwy 17 to Hwy 1, Hwy 1 north to Mission St, L on Swift Street, the site is on a wall near the rail road tracks right behind Kelly's Bakery and Bay Federal Credit Union, also accessible from Fair ave.