Axiom Films

A Road Movies Filmproduktion production in association with Kintop Pictures and ICAIC

Awards:	Oscar nomination - Best Documentary Winner - Best Documentary - European Film Awards
Starring:	Ry Cooder Joaquim Cooder Ibrahim Ferrer Ruben Gonzales Eliades Ochoa Omara Portuondo Compay Segundo Juan de Marcos Gonzales
Director and writer:	Wim Wenders
Producer:	Ulrich Felsberg
International Sales:	Hanway Films
UK Distributor:	Axiom Films

Country: Germany, USA, UK, France, Cuba
Genre: Documentary
Year of Production: 1999
Format: Digital
Running Time: 100 minutes
Certificate: Exempt
DVD Release date: 26th January 2009

Cuba's rich and colourful past comes vividly to life in this legendary, Oscar-nominated documentary from director Wim Wenders (PARIS, TEXAS, WINGS OF DESIRE).

The Grammy Award-winning Buena Vista Social Club album produced by Ry Cooder, remains the biggest-selling world music album ever. It showcases the talents of a dream team of veterans from Cuban music's golden age and it introduced the rhythms of Son, Bolero and Danzon to a whole new audience, making instant international stars of Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén Gonzalez, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo and Compay Segundo.

Never a regular band, The Buena Vista Social Club had gone their separate ways after that sensational album but in this extraordinary film Wenders intimately documents Ry Cooder's return to Havana, encountering these musical legends again as they look back to the halcyon days of Cuba's music scene, when the rich and famous travelled from all over the world to listen to them. In the climax their music comes alive once again, as they rehearse for their first – and only – performance in America, at New York's Carnegie Hall. More than a musical occasion that historic sell-out show is the uplifting finale to this documentary, which remains one of the greatest musical films ever made.


Choose your preferred size; to view trailers Quicktime 7 is required. Download here

**NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD**

"wonderful"
Philip French, THE OBSERVER

"sunshine for the soul... opulent, organic and as intoxicating as a rum binge, dripping with joie de vivre and rumbling with passion. Terrific, truly liberating stuff."
4 STARS
TOTAL FILM

"breathtaking... moving, uplifting"
Peter Bradshaw, THE GUARDIAN

Cuba's rich and colourful past comes vividly to life in this legendary, Oscar-nominated documentary from director Wim Wenders (PARIS, TEXAS, WINGS OF DESIRE).

The Grammy Award-winning Buena Vista Social Club album produced by Ry Cooder, remains the biggest-selling world music album ever. It showcases the talents of a dream team of veterans from Cuban music's golden age and it introduced the rhythms of Son, Bolero and Danzon to a whole new audience, making instant international stars of Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén Gonzalez, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo and Compay Segundo.

Never a regular band, The Buena Vista Social Club had gone their separate ways after that sensational album but in this extraordinary film Wenders intimately documents Ry Cooder's return to Havana, encountering these musical legends again as they look back to the halcyon days of Cuba's music scene, when the rich and famous travelled from all over the world to listen to them. In the climax their music comes alive once again, as they rehearse for their first – and only – performance in America, at New York's Carnegie Hall. More than a musical occasion that historic sell-out show is the uplifting finale to this documentary, which remains one of the greatest musical films ever made.

Bonus features include a feature-length commentary with Wim Wenders, interview with Juan de Marcos Gonzales, deleted scenes and optional English subtitles for the hearing impaired.

BUY NOW