El Cantante
Film Title (Spanish): El Cantante
Film Title (Original): El Cantante
Film Title (English): El Cantante
Country of Origin: United States
Year of Completition: 2006
Running Time: 106 minutes
Format/Color/BW: 35mm, Color
Language: English, Spanish
 Director: Leon Ichaso | Biography | Watch Trailer
Film Synopsis - Short:
Husband and wife super-duo, Marc Anthony (Lavoe) and Jennifer Lopez (Puchi) brilliantly shine in their first film collaboration, recounting the life of musician/singer Hector Lavoe. Together they formed a soon-to-be legendary record label – Fania – and pioneered a musical sound combining Puerto Rican and American influences: salsa. Hector’s charisma, sex appeal and groundbreaking sound made him an instant Latin Superstar, but with success came drugs, the ghosts of the past and self-destruction. As Puchi says, "It was good. It was bad. It was beautiful."
Film Synopsis - Long:
Husband and wife super-duo, Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez brilliantly shine in their first film collaboration, recounting the life of musician/singer Hector Lavoe. Together they formed a soon-to-be legendary record label – Fania – and pioneered a musical sound combining Puerto Rican and American influences: salsa.
Hector (Anthony) is a humble Puerto Rican singer who feels the pull of stardom leading him to the United States in the early sixties. Once in New York, he quickly captures the attention of the local musicians - impressed by his emotive singing style - and Puchi (Lopez), a tough-talking beauty who becomes Hector's advisor as well as his one true love. Hector’s charisma, sex appeal and groundbreaking sound made him an instant Latin Superstar, but with success came drugs, the ghosts of the past and self-destruction.
As the couple move from the glory days of the seventies to the bleak realities of the eighties, their relationship flames out in wrenching scenes of personal tragedy … As Puchi says, "It was good. It was bad. It was beautiful."
El Cantante purges its difficult emotions with a touching final tribute, as director Leon Ichaso incorporates footage of the real-life Lavoe's funeral in 1993, for which thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets to pay their respects. El Cantante is a must-see, a tale of love and loss set to an irresistible salsa beat.
Film Credits
Director: Leon Ichaso
Producers: Julio Caro, Simon Fields, Jennifer Lopez, David Maldonado
Writers: Leon Ichaso, David Darmstaedter and Todd Anthony Bello
Cinematographers: Claudio Chea
Editor: David Tedeschi
Music: Andres Levin
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, John Ortiz, Vincent Laresca, Manny Perez
Film History/Prizes:
Toronto International Film Festival, New York Latino Film Festival |
