Buena Vista Social Club
Directed by Wim Wenders • 1999 • Germany, United States
Traveling from the streets of Havana to the stage of Carnegie Hall, this revelatory documentary captures a forgotten generation of Cuba’s brightest musical talents as they enjoy an unexpected encounter with world fame. The veteran vocalists and instrumentalists collaborated with American guitarist and roots-music champion Ry Cooder to form the Buena Vista Social Club, playing a jazz-inflected mix of cha-cha, mambo, bolero, and other traditional Latin American styles, and recording an album that won a Grammy and made them an international phenomenon. In the wake of this success, director Wim Wenders filmed the ensemble’s members—including golden-voiced Ibrahim Ferrer and piano virtuoso Rubén González—in a series of illuminating interviews and live performances. The result is one of the most beloved documentaries of the 1990s, and an infectious ode to a neglected corner of Cuba’s prerevolutionary heritage.
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Buena Vista Social Club
Directed by Wim Wenders • 1999 • Germany, United States
Traveling from the streets of Havana to the stage of Carnegie Hall, this revelatory documentary captures a forgotten generation of Cuba’s brightest musical talents as they enjoy an unexpected encounter with world fame. The veteran vocalists...
Extras
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BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Commentary
This audio commentary, featuring director Wim Wenders, was recorded in 1999.
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Wim Wenders on BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB
This interview with director Wim Wenders was conducted in Berlin in December 2016.
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Radio Interviews: Eliades Ochoa
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Eliades Ochoa.
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Radio Interviews: Manuel “Puntillita” Licea
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Manuel “Puntillita” Licea.
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Radio Interviews: Orlando “Chachaito” Lopez
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Orlando “Chachaito” Lopez.
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Radio Interviews: Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal.
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Radio Interviews: Juan de Marcos
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Juan de Marcos.
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Radio Interviews: Omara Portuondo
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Omara Portuondo.
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Radio Interviews: Ibrahim Ferrer
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Ibrahim Ferrer.
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Radio Interviews: Barbarito Torres
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Barbarito Torres.
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Radio Interviews: Pío Leyva
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Pío Leyva.
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Radio Interviews: Rubén González
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Rubén González.
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Radio Interviews: Manuel Galbán
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Manuel Galbán.
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Radio Interviews: Alberto “Virgilio” Valdés
The following radio interview, recorded in 2000, features BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Alberto “Virgilio” Valdés.
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Las claves: Compay Segundo
In this 1998 interview, conducted for the Spanish television program “Las claves,” BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB musician Compay Segundo discuses his career and the Cuban music scene.
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BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Additional Scenes: “Candela,” Amsterdam
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BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Additional Scenes: Alberto Korda’s Photographs
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BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Additional Scenes: Juan de Marcos González Interview
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BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Additional Scenes: “Cienfuegos Tiene Su Guaguanco”
