Roma.
They are descended from Indian tribes who roamed over the vast spaces of the near and Middle East.
In the old days was determined and the principal occupations of the Gypsies: horse breeding, blacksmithing, the manufacture of harness.
A nomadic lifestyle has largely influenced the formation of their cultural traditions.
Gypsies are not one people, they split into ethnic groups, and what is each group determines their proximity to other Nations near whom they live, with the result that there is a natural partial borrowing culture, clothing, customs, and traditions that each group continues to maintain already inside.
Many centuries ago, this nation set out on their great journey through the world.
India, Persia, Byzantium, West and East Europe... it so happened that thousands of Gypsies were in Russia.
It was probably the only country in the world that have never taken anti-Roma laws.
Gypsies lived alongside all the other peoples and, of course, the history of Russia they could not touch.
In the Stalin era, when the way of life of Gypsies is fundamentally contrary to the Soviet ideology, countless many of them were deported to Siberia.
The famous "Hrushevsky thaw", oddly enough, was the time when the Gypsy question in the Soviet Union tried to solve quite radical: they were simply forbidden to lead a nomadic life.
However, forcibly resettling the Roma in comfortable flats, Soviet power only drove the problem deeper.
And yet Gypsies - a people of amazing destinies.
Notwithstanding that, they were able to preserve their national identity, loyalty to centuries-old traditions, lifestyle, language, and at the same time they live in the modern Russian society and associate with Russia their future.
The film stars leading researcher of the Institute of Ethnography Nadezhda Demeter, chair of the Russian Roma autonomy Georgiy Demeter, artistic Director of the Gypsy theatre "Romen" Nikolay Slichenko, actor and musician Sergey Erdenko, actor and musician Victor Budylev.
Personnel:
Demeter N.G. - doctor of historical Sciences, Romani public figure, ethnographer. Demeter G. S.-doctor of pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Romani public figure, President of the Federal national-cultural autonomy of Russian Roma, member of the Presidium of the International Romani Union. Slichenko N.. -- theater and film actor, singer, theatre Director, teacher, Professor, academician of the International Academy of theatre, people's artist of the USSR. Erdenko S. I. -- film and theater actor, composer, artist theater "Romen" (1980), founder and leader of the group "Loyko". Buzylev VM-Gypsy singer and composer, actor.