The Gypsy Trail

The link between flamenco and India has intrigued and interested scholars and historians for decades. Now noted Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura wants to contribute by celebrating the cultural ties between Spain and India through a film on the subject. “I’m exploring a film on the subject of the handful of gypsy dancers who migrated from Rajasthan to parts of Spain in the early 20th century,” said 81-year-old Saura at the screening of his musical short film,Flamenco,Flamenco (2010) held at the Instituto Cervantes auditorium in Delhi. Saura is in India as he was recently honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 18th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). The feature-length film,which is still untitled,will be based on the life of Spanish flamenco dance legend Vicente Escudero,who travelled to India in the early half of the 20th century to trace the roots of the dance form. “He was not a gypsy,but stayed among them to understand nuances of the dance and created his own style. He contributed a lot to flamenco by developing a guideline of 10-steps for the male flamenco dancer,which is followed even today,” added Saura,who visited Kathak dance centres in Chennai,and travelled through Jodhpur,which is believed to be where flamenco originated. Saura received the Silver Bear award at the 16th Berlin International Film festival for his film La Caza (1966) and two years later for his psychological thriller Peppermint Frappe,besides a Golden Bear award in 1981.His current film will look at the distinct styles between male and female flamenco dancers and also how the gypsies entered Europe and mingled with the community. “The gypsies entered Europe from the north and south of the Mediterranean sea and formed two unique styles of flamenco,” he added. Saura returns to Spain to work to resume working on his documentary about the foundation of Emilio Botin,the founder of the Santander bank. “I will come soon to develop the project further,” he says.