Cuba feliz (2000)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Karim Dridi

Writers:

Karim Dridi (writer)
Pascal Letellier (writer)

Release Date:

7 June 2000 (Belgium)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Plot:

Seventy-six-year-old Cuban street musician Miguel Del Morales, known as El Gallo (The Rooster), travels around Cuba with his guitar...

Plot Keywords:

Cuban | Street Musician | Cuba | Musician | Guitar

Cast

Miguel Del Morales	...	Himself
Pepín Vaillant	...	Himself
Mirta Gonzáles	...	Herself
Aníbal Ávila	...	Himself
Alberto Pablo	...	Himself
Armandito Machado	...	Himself
Mario Sanchez Martinez	...	Himself
Zaida Reyte	...	Herself
Gilberto Mendez	...	Himself
Alejandro Almenares	...	Himself
Paisan Mallet	...	Himself
Eulises Sanchez	...	Himself
Carlo Boromeo Planchez	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cándido Fabré	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Les flamboyants (France) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min | USA:96 min

Country:

France | Cuba

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Spain:T | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Cuba

Company:

ADR Productions

the anatomy of a people...

The anatomy of a people spills out of their music and onto the streets of Cuba in this simple road movie. El Gallo, "the rooster" troubadour singer travels through different parts of Cuba, welcomed by old and new friends alike. No "interviews" or story line of the conventional sense, just heartfelt bravado and slice-of-life charisma flows out of the instruments and vocal chords of these musicians. Its not the destination but the journey that matters in this film.

There are a few poignant scenes: one scene, older musicians improvise songs with ease in a kind of musical cipher called a changui, when a younger kid/ rapper tries to jump in the mix with a few lines but he's not really allowed to continue. Another musician explains tradition to him: in order for the the younger generation to truly learn the music and how to improvise in a changui, they must listen first. The kid reluctantly concedes, but manages to sneak in a few rhymes to be "tested out" in his protest. In another scene, a 70+yr old trumpeter peacefully performs his morning stretching/mediation ritual, trumpet in hand.

Hey, if you're going to watch a devoid European filmmaker explore (and envy) the rich vitality of a people, forget about Buena Vista Social Club folks! At least Dridi leaves Cuban music to the Cubans...Surely not a groundbreaking film but an enlightening journey all the same.