Tony Gatlif, filmmaker known for Roma culture and music, dies at 77
The family of the director of Latcho Drom and Gadjo Dilo announced his death on 4 September 2026. He died in Arles while working on a film project.
In short
- The family of the director of Latcho Drom and Gadjo Dilo announced his death on 4 September 2026.
- He died in Arles while working on a film project.
French filmmaker Tony Gatlif, whose cinema brought Roma music and experiences to international audiences, has died at 77, his family announced to Agence France-Presse on 4 September 2026.
According to the family’s statement reported by AFP, Gatlif died on 2 September in Arles, southern France, following a health problem. He had been working on a historical film project. The family did not identify a specific illness in the announcement.
Gatlif’s films included Latcho Drom, Gadjo Dilo and Exils. Across a career spanning more than 20 films, music and Roma culture were recurring subjects. Exils earned him the directing prize at the Cannes film festival in 2004.
Born in Algeria in 1948, Gatlif later moved to France. His work drew on his heritage and experiences of displacement, connecting personal journeys with the lives of communities often given little attention in mainstream cinema.
His family’s tribute recalled his generosity, poetry and attachment to music. They used the title Latcho Drom to bid him farewell.
