Synopsis

The pioneer of European jazz! The founder of gypsy swing! Django Reinhardt.

France in 1943 during the German occupation. Every night, guitarist and composer Django Reinhardt delights Parisian audiences with his witty, life-affirming ‘gypsy swing’ music. Whilst many other Romany people are finding themselves as the target of racist persecution and victims of concentration camps, Django believes himself to be safe due to his popularity – until agents of the Nazi propaganda machine demand that he go on tour to Germany in order to counteract the influence of ‘negro music’ from the USA. Django refuses. One of his Parisian admirers helps him, his pregnant wife and his mother to hide out in a village close to the Swiss border; here he meets members of his large extended family who are also on the run. But when he tries to cross Lake Geneva into Switzerland with his wife and his mother, the Nazis are hot on his heels.

Etienne Comar portrays an unconventional artist and free spirit whose life is as improvised as his music. Faced with the question of whether or not to allow his art to be misused for politcal purposes, he has to make a decision of vital significance.​

Directors

• 
  • Étienne Coma
  • Étienne Coma graduated from the French National Film School and began his career as a production manager on works such as Boris Godunov by Andrzej Żuławski and Van Gogh by Maurice Pialat. He then produced 15 films at Vendôme Films and Playtime before moving to Arch Films, where he produced and wrote the scripts for Of Gods and Men by Xavier Beauvois and Mon Roi by Maïwenn.