Guth Gafa Documentary Festival 2008

Jimmy Rosenberg: The Father, the Son and the Talent
Netherlands, 2006, 78 min
Director: Jeroen Berkvens

Sat 17th • Óstán Loch Altan • 9:00pm

This film revolves around the dramatic story of Gypsy guitarist Jimmy Rosenberg. When he was only 12 years old, it was already expected that Jimmy would take up the legacy of compatriot and guitar legend Django Reinhardt. He was soon playing alongside famous musicians, but as a teenage Jimmy performed internationally and signed a huge contract with Sony Classics, things started to go wrong.
Jimmy, now 26 years old, has no fixed home. Most of the time he stays with his mother and his two confused brothers on a remote farm. Meanwhile his drug addiction has dragged a trail of destruction through his life. He hasn't seen his three small children for years. His father has been sent to prison and is now being released for the first time after 8 years, desperate to help his son. But will Jimmy succeed and reclaim the title he was given as a young boy? In spite of his destructive lifestyle his ability to play guitar at amazing speeds and precision has grown. But will this gift be enough to escape from his own past?