:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/TUIGMGVK7VGNDEO75BN4DCYVYE.jpg "\"Patria y vida\", the documentary, will premiere at the Miami Film Festival 1")
Country and life: the power of music will premiere in the Yum Dinner Festivaland March 5. Performed by the Spanish singer, songwriter and actress Beatrice Luengo In her directorial debut, the documentary tells the story of a song that has become a symbol. It’s him make of a letter and recording that reflects the unease of many Cubans with their government and multiplied as an emblem of the struggle for freedom and democracy in Cuba.
Since its release in February 2021, the song “Patria y vida”, performed by Yotuelthe duo People area (Alexandre Delgado there Randy Malcolm), Descemer Good, Maykel Osorbo there The funky, burst the social networks. Shortly after, in the midst of demonstrations that took place throughout Cuba on July 11, 2021, demonstrators chanted its title of demand for freedom: the composition went from viral phenomenon to true protest anthem. .
“Can you imagine six black people from the neighborhood, humble, an independent label and suddenly the song playing all over the world? “: these words of Yotuel Romero The promotional trailer begins. Thus, the former member of the popular hip-hop trio orishas specifies that “Patria y vida” finds its origin in the popular classes.
The protest song has a long history in Cuba. But contrary to the words of silvio rodriguez, Pablo Milanes and the Nueva Trova MovementWith a strong poetic charge and an elitist language, “Patria vida” immediately touched the most vulnerable sectors of Cuban society. Moreover, its content is obviously in opposition to the government of the Cuban revolution.
“The interest of the documentary is that it deals with a living movement. In general, films are made when things have already happened”, Luengo said in an interview with EFE. A few days after its premiere, the film will be an opportunity for the world to discover the reality that Cubans face. and to support those fighting for change on the island.
Luengo, who is married to Yotuel Romero, said she lives “Cuban reality like bullfighters, from behind the scenes”, which does not prevent her from understanding the pain of those who live under the communist government of the country of Caribbean. “Yotuel has been fighting through music and art for 20 years. I have known him since 2003 and saw that he was fulfilling his life’s dream,” he added.
According to a statement that accompanies the first released images of the film, the lyrics of the song have been immortalized in the book of the United States Congress “for future generations to remember that it was an anthem of freedom.”
Without investing a single penny in promotion, the hip-hop theme that gave rise to this documentary was rewarded in 2021 with two Latin Grammys: song of the year there Best Urban Song. With 300 million views on the platform’s hashtag ICT Tac and more than 110 million interactions under #Patriayvida in Facebook, Twitter e instagram“is the only contemporary Latin song that has managed to uplift a people”, he said Leila CoboExecutive Director of Latin Content and Magazine Programming Billboard.
Luengo said she decided to do the documentary after the Grammys: she understood the importance of telling what for her is “a struggle of the heart”. The 80-minute film features interviews with Gloria Estefanthe duo Gente de Zona and camila cabelloamong others, as well as images that anonymous people sent to the Spanish artist.
The documentary also highlights artists and political prisoners Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara there Maykel Castillo Perez (Osorbo), sentenced respectively to five and nine years in prison, last June. “They are the protagonists, along with the other boys in the song. In fact, Maykel has a very special role, and the documentary begins with an incredible unreleased sound from him,” Luengo revealed.
“He’s the only musician who’s in jail for a song that won two Grammys (…). It’s David versus Goliath, but in this case David had a song like a rock thrower and the throw is went straight into the giant’s eye,” Yotuel expresses in the documentary.
Country and life: the power of music aims to shed light on the fight for freedom and democracy through the prism of song that has become a symbol. With interviews from influential voices and personal stories from those on the front lines, the documentary shows the strength and resilience of the Cuban people in their struggle for change.
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