Plot: The queen of the gypsies is dead ,long live the new queen, Cartacalha ; She must marry a man of her tribe,but she's in love with Le Galejon ,a horse breeder in a mas (farm) of Camargue; a producer tells her that as a dancer ,a great career lies in store in Paris for her .She becomes the toast of the city but loses her virtue, thus her title.

The movie was made in 1941,before the Occupation ;considering the gypsies' fate was similar to that of the Jews ,such a film was unthinkable afterwards. Out of less than one million of gypsies living in Europa ,220,000 were exterminated by the Nazis and their allies.

The best part is the first :the funeral, the procession along the sea in Les Saintes Maries De La Mer ; the scene in the café where they refuse stupid received ideas on people they don't know that much : "they are cannibalistic ,aren't they? And the awful way they treat some babies?"Viviane Romance's beauty and sensuality add spice to her gypsy dances .

But the second part in Paris is less satisfying ;on stage it seems that the queen has lost her identity :her dances are closer to Spanish flamenco or to French folies bergères,and her song falls in the novelty genre;and the trick of the quicksand ,almost every movie set in Camargue features it .Only Gaby Andreu , as Pirbichi , the perfidious mom who wants her own daughter to replace the elected queen, plays her game well.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

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Viviane Romance in Cartacalha, reine des gitans (1942)

Cartacalha, reine des gitans

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