MERCEDES SOSA:
THE VOICE OF LATIN AMERICA
OPENING NIGHT FILM. JUNE 2, 2014
Venue
Instituto Cervantes
New York
211 E 49th St, New York, NY 10017
(212) 308-7720
ABOUT
Original Title: Mercedes Sosa: la voz de latinoamérica
Director: Rodrigo H. Vila
Cast: Chico Buarque de Hollanda, Elba Bustelo, David Byrne, Luz Casenave, Maria Herminia Miñano Cerna, Josefina De Medici, León Gieco, Víctor Heredia, Fabian Matus , Pablo Milanés, Milton Nascimento,
Juan David Nasio, Teresa Parodi, Isabel Parra, Jacqueline Pons, Fito Páez, Antonio Rodríguez, José Segovia, Cacho Sosa, Chichi Sosa, Flora Strozenberg, Alfredo Troncoso
Date completed: 2013
Country: Argentina
Film Category: Documentary
Length of Film: 90 minutes
N. Y. Premiere
SYNOPSIS
he death of Argentine folksinger Mercedes Sosa in 2009 meant Latin America lost a great voice “ not just her characteristic singing voice, but also her courageous voice of protest. She was the people's heroine. As a member of Manifesto del Nuevo Cancionero [The New Songbook Manifesto], she risked her own life to embolden her fans, many of whom were oppressed and disadvantaged. She received many death threats and was even exiled by the military regime in the 1980s, but she never forgot her fans and her people. In this extensive portrait of Sosa “ the woman, the singer, the activist“ director Rodrigo H. Vila follows her son Fabian as he explores his mother's legacy, talking to relatives, friends and fellow musicians about her private life and musical career. Together with them, he travels the world visiting places that were important to the singer, who died of kidney failure at 74. The emotional stories related by the interviewees and Fabian himself are complemented by Mercedes's own account, drawn from the many interviews she gave throughout her career. This multilayered film is further enriched with personal photographs and archive recordings of Sosa's concert performances, which were legendary in many ways.
DIRECTOR'S BIO
Rodrigo H. Vila graduated from university as Communication Media Producer in 1993. He worked as Director and Producer on different media contents such as publicity spots, television shows, documentaries and fiction series for different Mainstream Broadcasters like E! Entertainment Television, History Channel, Biography Channel, A&E, Turner Broadcasting, Claxson, Canal de Historia Spain, AXN, Sony Television, People & Arts, Univision, EMI Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music, Warner Music, New Line Cinema, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Universal International Pictures, Disney Channel Latin America On Air, plus more, also as Independent Producer.
In 1998 he founded Cinema 7 Films, a Production Company based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, been his Managing Director till today. Also he has been EDN member since 2005, and EDN Ambassador in Argentina. Since 2008 is the Director of the International Forum Doc Meeting Argentinaâ€.
Rodrigo Vila filmed original contents for broadcasters all over the world in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, Perú, Scotland, Spain, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Rodrigo´s documentaries films were awarded as Best Documentary and selected in different International Festivals.
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