And the Violins Stopped Playing

The events span the height of World War II in Europe. It begins with the 1941 Nazi occupation of Warsaw and follows the Romani exodus as regimes tighten control. By 1944, the regime in Hungary collapses and deportations intensify until the war's end. The film ends with the war's conclusion and the unresolved quest for justice and recognition by the Romani people.

The story unfolds across German-occupied Poland and neighboring territories, beginning in Warsaw in 1941 and following a Romani community as they flee east toward Hungary. It depicts the perilous journey through Brest-Litovsk and the brutal pressure of deportations. The narrative culminates in Auschwitz, underscoring the mass violence endured by Roma and Jews alike.

🕯️ Persecution

The film exposes the systematic targeting of Roma and Jews, using euphemisms like relocation to mask murder and dispossession. It shows how fear, coercion, and propaganda fragment families and force dangerous choices. Camps, transports, and experiments reveal the brutality of the Nazi machine, while the characters cling to memory and identity.

🎻 Music & Identity

Dymitr Mirga's violin opens the story and marks moments of tension and humanity. Music becomes both cultural expression and a reminder of dignity in the face of oppression. The power of art persists even under cruelty, sustaining the community's memory and sense of self.

🕊️ Resilience & Loss

The narrative centers on family bonds and collective resilience under totalitarian violence. Leaders are forced to make unspeakable sacrifices for the group's survival. Losses—such as Zoya’s death—underscore the cost of resistance and the fragility of hope, while the ending hints at an ongoing struggle for recognition and justice.