CHAVELA (2017) de Catherine Gund y Daresha Kyi

“A Singer. A Fighter. A Symbol”

“En el bulevar de los sueños rotos vive una dama de poncho rojo, pelo de plata y carne morena”*. In Spain is almost unavoidable speak about Chavela Várgas without remember the song composed by Joaquin Sabina: There is a very big person in this world for Sabina composes something about you. Although Chavela is very big by herself. Like that was Chavela not only the most “macha” and the drunkest if not the voice of all country, Mexico. About her life, her way to be the voice of Mexico and gay icon is about this movie. The poster is very revealing: a picture of herself in black/white is occupying all space and her name in red, Chavela. Under three words: singer, fighter and symbol. Those three words would be synonymous about her name.

The documentaries about singers or music bands, I admit, I love them. I love them like I love beer and chocolate. But this one makes boom in my heart and my mind. There was me, seat in a seat in Babel Cinemas in Valencia surrounded by a lot of people but I felt alone with Chavela. I was singing her songs, living with her videos in the concert in the Caracol concert hall in Madrid. There she was old but, she was there up, singing. This film is an authentic review about her life, her virtues and defects. Pics, interviews to her friends, other singers, and herself, concerts in video and her voice. Her strong voice makes me feel fly with only her memory. This movie is an exceptional audiovisual document, not only for fans of Chavela if not for any interested in the history of the music. Watch this documentary with me and in the last minute… let’s drink, for her, for Chavela.

* It is part of the beginning of the Joaquin Sabina’s Song “Por el bulevar de los sueños rotos”.