Category: Music/Dance
Antonia
From the Producers of City of God and acclaimed writer/director/producer Tata Amaral comes Antônia, a moving soulfoul look into the lives of four women living on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Determined to escape their poveryy stricken lives, the talented younf women form an all=female rap group but find their road to success is riddled with sexism, racism and violence. One by one, they succumb to their frim realitiews, putting the group's future, and their lifelong friendships, in jeopardy. Until they learn that out of struggle comes strength, and out of strength, the courage to continue on.
Subject: Music/Dance, Social Issues, Drama, Women's Studies
Baracoa
Baracoa shows the beauty of Baracoa, a municipality of Guantanamo province in Cuba. The film includes footage of the natural environment of Baracoa, the major city, Guantanamo while Cuban music is playing in the background.
Cuba, Environment/Geography, Music/DanceBETTY Y PANCHO
Art, Country/Region, Mexico, Music/Dance, Subject, USABRAZIL
Brazil, History, Music/DanceBrazil: Heart of South America
This film is intended as an introduction to Brazil, for people of all ages.
Brazil, History, Music/DanceBuena Vista Social Club
The German filmmaker Wim Wenders directs a documentary about the Cuban musicians in the group Buena Vista Social Club. This group has toured the U.S. and their albums have been best sellers for months. The elder members have many unique stories to tell from a country that has been sealed off to American citizens for decades.
Cuba, Music/DanceCarmen Miranda: Bananas is my Business
This film relates the intimate saga of the star who captured the world's heart and imagination. It reveals the lasting image of Latin American women she created and serves as a celebration of her glorious talents. Using active footage, film fragments, interviews and dramatic re-enactments, acclaimed director Helena Solberg goes behind the scenes to convey the true life story of the "Brazilian Bombshell."
Biography, Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Music/DanceChigualeros
Chigualeros is a documentary about one of the most famous orchestras in Ecuador. Chigualeros, founded almost three decades agos , fuses different sounds like son, marimba, guaracha, currulao, bolero, and the chigualo. Like many parts of Latin America, Ecuador has an African history that is evoked through the mix of sounds in the Chigualeros.The documentary presents the lives of the members of the group while also exploring the deforestation of the tropical forests of the region.
Ecuador, Environment/Geography, History, Music/DanceChulas Fronteras y Del Mero Corazon
Documentary films of the borderland between Texas and Mexico. Norteña music filled with the poetry of daily life-love songs, passion, death, humor, and loss is explored from dancehalls, small towns, and family gatherings.
Cinema/Theater, Latinos/Chicanos, Mexico, Music/Dance, USACoração Do Samba
This is a musical documentary about the contagious rhythm of the samba schools' batteries, their origin, instruments, the different suits and their evolution.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Music/Dance, Social Life and CustomsCorazon Sangrante / Cuerpos De Papel
Corazon Sangrante is a short film that uses various mythic elements of gender - the sacred heart, saints, la china poblana - all set to the music of an old Mexican ballad. Cuerpos de Papel, also set to music, explores the relationship between two lesbians.
Gender/Sexuality, Mexico, Music/Dance, Religion, Women's StudiesCuba Mia: Portrait of an all Woman Orchestra
This documentary introduces a most unusual and talented musical group, the Camerata Romeu, an extraordinary all-female classical musical ensemble from Havana, Cuba. The video combines performance, interviews, and documentary footage of the musicians' personal lives.
Cuba, Music/Dance, Women's StudiesCucaracha, La
This very first three-color, live action film production is a comic short about a volatile tempered cantina girl trying to regain the love of a fellow dancer. The piece has lots of dancing and music, marking the debut of Technicolor.
History, Mexico, Music/DanceDance of Hope
To call attention to the absence of their loved ones, "disappeared" during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, Chilean women perform the cueca, Chile's national dance of passion and courtship, poignantly and without partners.
Chile, History, Music/Dance, Politics/Human Rights, Women's StudiesDanzantes Nahui Ollin
In these changing times we find a dance group in the Mayan Riviera that through their perspective fights to conserve the customs of the dance, to live differently than society. Get to know their lives and discover the philosophy of the dancers.
Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Music/DanceDanzon
Julia, played by María Rojo, works by day as a telephone operator in Mexico City and at night turns to her real passion, which is dancing. Once a week she goes to a ballroom to dance with Carmelo, a fifty-year-old, well-groomed man and excellent dancer of danzón. One day Carmelo disappears and Julia's search for him is transformed into a search for her own self-identity.
Drama, Mexico, Music/Dance, Women's StudiesFabri-K, La
Two of Cuba's leading hip-hop groups, Obsesion and Doble Filo, have formed the collective La Fabri-K to showcase their art. This film follows the artists from their homes in Havana through their eye-opening concert tour in the United States, exploring the conflicts they confront along the way.
Cuba, Music/DanceFavela Rising
Favela Rising documents a man and a movement, a city divided and a favela (Brazilian squatter settlement) united. Haunted by the murders of his family and many friends, Anderson Sá is a former drug-trafficker who turns social revolutionary in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum. Through hip-hop music, the rhythms of the street, and Afro-Brazilian dance, he rallies his community to counteract the violence and oppression.
Brazil, Music/Dance, Social Movements/ResistanceFolklore Mexicano
A collection of songs in Folklore Mexicano
Mexico, Music/DanceHabana Blues (Havana Blues)
Cuba is a land of music and consequently a land of musicians. Habana Blues is full of lots of extraordinary music, but what makes it so special is the way Zambrano details the lives of the protagonists and the choices they are forced to make regarding their music, their families and their country. Cannes Festival Official Selection, 2005.
Cuba, Drama, Music/Dance, Politics/Human RightsHail Umbanda
This view of Brazil’s fastest growing religion shows both the public and private sides of Umbanda, a mix of Catholicism with both Afro-Brazilian and indigenous spiritualism. The primary focus of the film is a renowned Umbanda priest, also known as the Pai de Santo (father of the gods), and his explanation of a variety of aspects of his religion.
Cuba, Drama, Music/Dance, Politics/Human RightsHasta La Reina Isabel Baila El Danzon
A woman in Havana has had visions of Queen Isabel and considers herself to be a medium who has regular contact with the fifteenth-century monarch.
Cuba, Drama, Music/Dance, Politics/Human RightsJovenes Rebeldes
This film examines the now vibrant hip-hop community that has emerged in Cuba since the onset of the special period, interviewing numerous artists and getting their perspectives on a number of issues, including racism, issues of censorship, economic conditions, gender and sexuality, and relations with the United States. In many ways the Cuban hip-hop scene evokes memories of the culture when it first emerged in the United States in terms of its grassroots character as a form of expression for marginalized youth. Rappers comment on the significance the genre has as a form of cultural expression and social commentary, as well as the danger of Cuban hip-hop progressing down the same path of commercialization that has become so prominent in the United States.
Cuba, Music/Dance, Social IssuesLos 50 Vividos
Los 50 Vividos offers insight into the intellectual and cultural side of Cuba. The Union de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC) or the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba was founded by Nicolas Guillen, the national poet of Cuba. The film features Guillen’s poems, photos of the various congresses of the UNEAC starting in 1961 through 2008, photos of different festivals, awards, and interviews of the founders of the UNEAC and its major collaborators. The film also includes a section showcasing the music of more than twenty Cuban artists.
Art, Cuba, Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/DanceMadame Satã
Born to slaves in the arid wasteland of NortBrazil and sold by his mother at the age of 7 for amule, Joao Francisco dos Santos battled all stereotypes on the mean streets of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. Jailed for 27 of his 76 years, dos Santos was an explosive figure prone to excessive bouts of violence and moments of extreme tenderness the next. Karim Ainouz's extraordinary and complex portrait of the triumphs and tragedy of this colorful personality unfolds against the vibrant, sordid backgrouns of Lapa in the 1930s> a thronging underworld of pimps and whores, of cut-throats, queers and artists, of dark bars and brotherls thick with smoke, drenched in sweat and cheap perfume. A world filled with violence and raw desire, where desperate dreams spring from poverty and squalor.
Anthropology/Archaeology, Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Music/Dance, Social IssuesMargarette’s Feast
The film tells an allegory of Brazil's social struggles without words while making use of Brazilian music. After losing his job, goodhearted but penniless Pedro comes into possession of a miraculous suitcase that never runs out of money, allowing him to throw an extravagant birthday party for his wife.
Art, Brazil, Cinema/Theater, Music/Dance, Social IssuesMasks Of Mexico: The Art Of An Enduring Culture
This documentary goes on location to rarely seen gatherings in remote villages where masks are still an essential part of festivals such as Day of the Dead, Corpus Christi and Winter Celebrations. This video traces the ritual use of masks, beginning with Aztec priests and warriors, and explores the influence of Spanish friars who used masks to spread the teachings of Christianity. The result is a vibrant blend of indigenous and European traditions that gives this art form its distinctive flavor.
Art, Culture/Festivals/Food, Mexico, Music/DanceMoro No Brasil
This film is a musical road trip deep into the heart of Brazil. Along the trip, the director showcases the diversity and richness of the Brazilian Music.
Brazil, Music/DanceMusic Of The Maya
Produced by Samuel Franco, director of the Casa K'OJM, a private non-profit educational research center in Antigua, Guatemala dedicated to the preservation of Maya culture through music this video shows us live footage of music during daily life and special ceremonies throughout Guatemala, particularly in the Highlands. Narrated by Samuel Franco.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Guatemala, Indigenous Peoples, Music/Dance, Social Life and CustomsMusic Of Yaracuey Venezuela, The
This documentary deals with the rich cultural and musical heritage of the people of the province of Yaracuey in Venezuela. It shows local people's participation in genres as diverse as folklore music and classical and especially emphasizes the strong tradition of music instruction for children in the Casa Yaracuey. There is good footage of local dances, fiestas and interviews with poetas campesinos (farmer poets). Produced by Cartón de Venezuela.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/Dance, VenezuelaMusical Instruments And Genres Of Peru Lambayeque
The musical panorama of the region of Lambayeque shows the role placed by musical instruments and genres in delineating different cultural spheres, as well as in the conflict between traditional and modern expressions. Two large areas can be distinguished: those of the coast and of the mountains. Each expresses itself in music differently, even when both use the same musical instruments. The coastal town draws on African traditions. Communications and popular urban music have also influenced this area, significantly changing Lambayeque's musical panorama.
Music/Dance, PeruNew Audiences For Mexican Music
A three-part documentary. Part I describes the phenomenon of banda dance music sweeping the Unites States and Mexico. Part II provides a history of mariachi music and its fusions with country-western and other styles, while Part III profiles Tejano music.
Mexico, Music/Dance, USAÓ Pai, Ó
During the Carnival in the historical site of Pelourinho (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil), we follow the lives of the tenants of a falling-to-pieces tenement house who try to get by using creativity, irony, humor and music.
Brazil, Culture/Festivals/Food, Drama, Gender/Sexuality, Music/Dance, Social Life and CustomsOggun, An External Presence
In Oggun, Gloria Rolando relates the mythical story of the Yoruba god Oggun, the tireless warrior who, enamored of his mother, decided as punishment to imprison himself in the mountains: Only Ochun, goddess of love, succeeded in captivating him when she let fall a few drops of honey on the lips of the god of metal, war, progress, and civilization. This documentary includes chants, dances, a "tambor" (Yoruba religious ceremony with the bata drums), and the experiences of Lázaro Ros, a legendary Akpwon, or lead singer in the Yoruba tradition, who not only made his the beauty of the African chants, but had the opportunity to sing them in trips throughout the world.
Cuba, Gender/Sexuality, Music/Dance, ReligionReina De La Noche, La
Fictionalized biography about life of Mexican singer Lucha Reyes. Lucha Reyes was an unconventional and sexually liberated woman, most famous for her "cancion ranchera" style singing. Her story begins in 1939, when at 33 she still lived at home with her mother, then she marries the liberal Pedro Calderon and then buys a beggar's daughter, who becomes her only source of lasting love.
Biography, Mexico, Music/DanceRoots Of Rhythm
This is a joyous and colorful three-part musical odyssey that follows the powerful flow of Afro-Cuban music from its origin five centuries ago in Africa and Spain to the contemporary sound of such exciting popular artists as Gloria Estefan, Ruben Blades, and jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie. Program one traces the African and Spanish roots, Program 2 traces the cultural blending in the Caribbean, and Program 3 traces its popularity in the United States and eventually through the world.
Cuba, History, Latinos/Chicanos, Music/Dance, USASoy Andina
The dazzling story of two women raised in different worlds — an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes, and a modern dancer from Queens, NY — who return to Peru to reconnect with their cultural heritage through an astonishing world of traditional dance and celebration. Soy Andina is an exuberant cross-cultural road trip, bursting with traditional music and dance rarely seen outside the country. But the core story is intimate and universal: a yearning for roots and connection in turbulent times. An inspirational story, Soy Andina examines the issue of identity in a globalized era.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Migration/Immigration, Music/Dance, PeruThe Accordion Kings
This documentary examines a Colombian musical tradition that has emerged to become an internationally popular music genre. Its rural sentiment, straightforward message, and danceable rhythms now appeal to millions of fans around the world. In Colombia’s northern Magdalena Valley, vallenato or "valley music" is the rage and the accordion is king. The region is a place where small children learn to play the accordion at their father’s knee while hundreds of professional practitioners, sometimes several generations of accordeoneros in the same family, perform dazzling feats of musical prowess at social events and duel for bragging rights at annual festivals. The film features an exclusive interview with pop star Carlos Vives and behind-the-scenes footage of the legendary annual Vallenato Festival.
Colombia, Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/DanceThe Sound Of Rio: Brasileirinho
A musical documentary about choro, the first genuinely urban Brazilian music, which blended European, Afro-Brazilian and indigenous elements and formed the basis for popular musical styles such as Samba and Bossa Nova.
Brazil, Music/DanceThe Spirit Of Samba
The music and dance of samba has gained international predominance in a little more than a century. The spirit of samba can be traced to the state of Bahia on the eastern coast of Brazil. The word itself means "party" and found life when ex-slaves of Bahia moved to the cities, bringing their style of music and dance. This one-hour documentary takes a comprehensive and thorough look at samba, from its origins to its international acclaim and its influence on other styles of music. This video is a celebrated tour of Brazil -- its people, its culture, and the schools of samba in preparation for Carnivale. This documentary includes some wonderful colorful and vibrant footage of the samba and Carnivale, as well as interviews with some of Brazil's shining samba stars.
Culture/Festivals/Food, Music/Dance, Social Issues, Social Life and CustomsWhen The Drum Is Beating
This documentary explores the music of the famous Haitian orchestra “Septentrional” along with the violent history of Haiti. Through Septentrional’s powerful musical pieces, accompanied with brutal scenes, viewers are taken on a graphic journey through Haiti’s culture and history; from French colonialism and bloody revolutions to natural disasters and foreign debt while Septentrional’s beautiful sounds of Haitian voodoo beats and Cuban big band serve as a backdrop. This film contains graphic images.
Colonial, Haiti, History, Music/Dance, Politics/Human Rights, Religion, Social Issues, Social Life and Customs, Social Movements/Resistance, USAZoot Suit
Adapted from the 1978 stage play by the preeminent Chicano playwright Luis Valdéz, Zoot Suit is a musical drama of racism and intolerance in the culture of Los Angeles. It begins in 1942 with the death of a young Chicano (Mexican-American) which directly leads to the infamous "zoot suit riots."
Drama, History, Latinos/Chicanos, Music/Dance, Social Movements/Resistance, USA