Shanghai Gypsy is a bittersweet love story spanning four generations. Its protagonists are members of the Roma (gypsy) family Mirga. The central character of the film is Lutvija Belmondo Mirga, a gypsy king, who established his own gypsy village and named it Shanghai. He makes his living on smuggling, becoming a powerful and influential figure. With the downfall of Yugoslavia, Belmondo becomes involved in the arms business and eventually finds himself at the crossroads, when the business starts to threaten his personal and family life.
The film is produced by Franci Zajc of the production company Arsmedia (www.arsmedia.si). Arsmedia also produced Naberšnik`s first feature film, Rooster's Breakfast (2007), which was a huge domestic hit, with nearly 200,000 admissions in Slovenia, making it the most successful Slovenian film until 2010, when it was overtaken by the family comedy Going Our Way.
The screenplay was written by Naberšnik and is based on the novel by one of the most renowned contemporary Slovenian writers Feri Lainšček. Lainšček also wrote the novel which was used as a basis for the story of Rooster's Breakfast.
Shanghai Gypsy has a budget of €.2,474,232 with a Slovenian Film Center (www.film-center.si) grant of €1,245,150. Alongside well-known Slovenian actors including Bojan Emeršič, Marjuta Slamič, Vlado Novak and Ivo Ban, the international cast also includes the German actress and former Miss Germany Asli Bayram. The film will be completed in 2012.
Production Credits:
Shanghai Gypsy
Production Company: Arsmedia (www.arsmedia.si)
Co-Producers: Jadran film Zagreb (www.jadran-film.com), Radiotelevizija Slovenia (www.rtvslo.si), European Capital of Culture, Maribor 2012 (www.maribor2012.info), Viba Film (www.vibafilm.si)
Co-funding: Slovenian Film Center (www.film-center.si)
Director: Marko Naberšnik
Screenwriter: Marko Naberšnik
Based on the Novel by Feri Lainšček
Producer: Franci Zajc
Director of Photography: Miloš Srdić
Composer: Saša Lošić
Film Editor: Janez Bricelj
Sound Recordist: Jože Trtnik
Sound Designer: Boštjan Kačičnik
Production Designer: Miha Ferkov
Costume Designer: Nataša Rogelj
Make up: Mirjam Kavčič
Cast: Visar Vishka, Asli Bayram, Senad Bašić, Jasna Diklić, Miki Trifunov, Bojan Emeršič, Marjuta Slamič, Saša Petrović, Vlado Novak, Ivo Ban, Anđelo Kontrec, Dominik Kontrec, Mišo Kontrec, Senko Velinov, Emir Hadžihafizbegović, Haris Burina, Saša Pavlin Stoši
