Spain/Colombia, Music Documentary, 2015
110 min, Color
Spanish with English subtitles

PLAYING LECUONA takes the viewer on a musical journey through the work and living spaces of pianist and composer Ernesto Lecuona, considered the most universal of Latin American pianists. Three outstanding Latin Jazz piano players will guide us in this odyssey: Chuco Valdés in Lecuona’s native Havana fuses jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms; Michel Camilo in New York creates elegant soundscapes; and in Seville, the heart of Andalucia, Gonzalo Rubalcaba fuses Latin Jazz with Flamenco. The film is filled with exceptional performances by the above masters as well as Omara Portuondo of Cuba, and Ana Belén and Esperanza Fernández of Spain. PLAYING LECUONA won the award for Best Documentary at Festival des Films du Monde in Montreal.

Texas Premiere

www.playinglecuona.com

About the director

Pavel Giroud´s first film, LA EDAD DE LA PESETA was nominated for a Goya Award, and received awards in many countries around the world. The University of Houston included the film into its “Modern and Classical Languages, Spanish Films.” His latest feature film, EL ACOMPAÑANTE, had its world premiere at the Busan IFF. The film has already been recognized as Best Project in 61st San Sebastian Production Forum.

JuanMa Villar Betancort was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands. His films include COLORES (2007) and TRANSHAVANA (2008).

Credits

Producer: JuanMa Villar Betancort
Production Companies: Insularia Creadores
Screenwriter: Pavel Giroud, JuanMa Villar Betancort
Cinematographer: Santiago Torres
Editor: Ximena Alejandra Córdoba, Pavel Giroud, José Jorge, Paula Iglesias
Sound Design: Richard Córdoba, Daniel de Zayas, Christian Johansen
Music: Carlos Más
Cast: Chuco Valdés, Michel Camilo, Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Print Source: JuanMa Villar Betancort, insularia@gmail.com