Buena Vista Social Club
1999 · Movie · G · 105 min · ★ 7.5 · 87% critics
An Oscar-nominated documentary follows American guitarist Ry Cooder as he brings together legendary Cuban folk musicians, including many in their 90s, to record music in Havana. The film blends recording sessions and live performances, while also spotlighting the artists’ personal life stories.
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Details
- Years
- 1999
- Release date
- 1999-06-04
- Language
- English
- Rated
- G
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 87/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.5/10 (375 votes)
- Box office
- $23,000,000
About
Pick this up if you love uplifting music documentaries and want to feel the warmth of real personal stories through unforgettable Cuban performances; Not for you if you only want a tightly told narrative or if you dislike music-centered films like David Byrne's American Utopia or The Last Waltz.
Pros: joyous, legendary musicians; strong music focus; heartfelt life stories | Cons: can feel repetitive; visual look divides viewers; some miss more context
Themes
- cuba
- havana, cuba
Awards & recognition
- Silver nugget — the best foreign film · 2000
- European Film Award — Best Documentary · 1999
- Academy Award — Best Documentary Feature Film · 2000 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Documentary · 1999 · nominated
Cast & crew
Compay Segundo
as Self
Eliades Ochoa
as Self
Ry Cooder
as Self
Joachim Cooder
as Self
Ibrahim Ferrer
as Self
Omara Portuondo
as Self
- RG
Rubén González
as Self
- OL
Orlando 'Cachaíto' López
as Self
- AV
Amadito Valdés
as Self
- MM
Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal
as Self
Directed by Wim Wenders