Last day, I watched Hungarian movie named “Just the Wind” (Csak a szél). I’ve been waiting to watch this movie for long time and finally my friend from Hungary managed to get the movie for me. Just the Wind was Hungary’s nomination for 85^th Academy Awards.

You’ll easily get absorbed into the movie and will start having feeling of closeness to the characters. There will not be a single instance where you’ll try to blink! The movie is based on the Romani killings those took place in 2008 and 2009 in parts of Hungary.

Just the Wind portraits last day in the life of one Romani family, which consists of mother, two children, grandfather and father living in Canada, in a small Hungarian village, in which as the day breaks news spread quickly of the murder of another Romani family. Movie represents the anxiousness, desperation to survive and fears with which Romani people live. To escape death and fears, mother works at two different cleaning jobs so that she can save enough money to get out of the country and be with her husband living in Canada. Anna (Girl child) understands the necessity of attending the school and Rio (boy child) instead of going school just keep on roaming in forest and  keep on enjoying video games at neighbours’ place.

Just the Wind – Wind of Racism

In the movie it is shown, the culprits of murders of neighbour Romani family are not found and even police is not showing much interest in finding the culprits, rather policemen make racist comments and tries to justify killings.

In one scene, when Anna is waiting for bus to go to school, just because of hatred towards Romani people, white bus driver is shown to drive a few extra meters because he did not stop the bus at the exact spot where she was waiting. There is also a scene when suspicious black car follows the Rio and he completely gets scared and stops and tries to hide behind the bushes. He brings out his frustration and anger a little later when he is in the deep forest, running alone, cutting himself an aisle through the undergrowth. It seems to be something like a shout of despair, an outcry against the overwhelming menace. It is also shown that for his family, Rio is preparing for secret bunker in forest in case things got worse.

In another scene, as mother is passing through the white people’s neighbourhood, she is stopped by some white goons and they tried to molest her. There are many hearts touching scene in the movie that tried to explain the day to day life struggle of Romani people.

With desperation and fear day ends and family is in bed, holding on dreams to survive and escape to Canada pretty soon. Just then there is some noise outside and mother says, it’s Just the Wind and with this comment one may think all ends well with the family but Rio wakes up and sees the perpetrators coming and he shouts loudly and runs.  But all the members of the family are killed – just because they are Romani – just because of racism.

Wind of Racism just like Wind of Casteism is still blowing heavily and don’t know how many more lives will these two will take before stopping. Caste virus is not gone so is the race virus. The movie is inspired by real life racist attacks and is breathless escalation of events. One can easily relate the lives of Romani people and Dalits of India, almost same happens in India, Dalits suffer on day to day basis, Dalits’ dreams are shattered and not many care.

Movie raises many questions on the way we treat people from other race, other caste, look different or other religion. After watching the movie, I was lost into the thoughts of lives of Romani people; I was devastated with the suffering that Romani people undergo because of racism. All this made me cry. I’ve been at Sajokaza (Hungary) in year 2009 and worked with Jai Bhim Network, organization that works for Romani people. So, I could relate many things in movie what I had experienced at Sajokaza. It’s nicely directed movie and is must watch for people who believe in equality and humanity.

You can watch the movie from this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfWFEtemRNk