Tony Gatlif, acclaimed director known for films like Gadjo Dilo, passed away on September 3 at the age of 77 in Arles, France. Born Michel Boualem Dahmani in Algiers on September 10, 1948, he faced a challenging childhood marked by poverty. At 14, he moved to France, where a chance meeting with actor Michel Simon paved the way for his career in dramatic arts.
Gatlif’s directorial debut came in 1975 with La tête en Ruines, followed by Corre Gitano, which addressed the struggles of Roma culture. His 1992 documentary Latcho Drom won the Cannes Un Certain Regard prize, and he gained further recognition with Gadjo Dilo in 1997. The film won the Silver Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival. Gatlif won Best Director at Cannes in 2004 for Exils, starring Romain Duris. His filmography also includes Korkoro (2009), The Outraged (2012), Geronimo (2014), Djam (2017), Tom Medina (2021), and Ange (2025).
