Jimmy Rosenberg: The Father, the Son & the Talent

The gypsy boy Jimmy Rosenberg was still in primary school when he caused a furore as the sure-fire successor of guitar legend Django Reinhardt. His virtuosity was unparalleled and a golden future lay ahead. When he was just 15, the sensitive teenager signed a million-dollar contract with Sony Classics in New York. When Jimmy's father disappeared behind bars for killing his son-in-law, the family lost its structure and Jimmy lost his way. Addicted to drugs, he squandered millions and fell out of touch with his children and their mothers. The director chose a special moment to pick up this incredible prodigy's painful history. Jimmy, now 25, is kicking the habit and spending a lot of time with his mother and two brothers on a remote farm in Brabant. He would seem to be picking up the pieces. After eight years, his father gets out of prison and can take care of his family again. Jimmy's talent is undiminished and he may even be able to start afresh. Jeroen Berkvens succeeds in depicting Jimmy and his relatives with an effective transparency that makes this documentary both touching and shocking. It's intimate and contemplative, at the same time an homage and a merciless family drama. The music is everywhere, and it's vibrant. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)