Coals to Newcastle? Hip hop meets flamenco? The film Kumpanía, Flamenco Los Angeles, will be screening in Madrid on June 6th. At first blush, you would think it odd perhaps that a film produced in the United States about flamenco might show in Spain. But, once you see it, there are many reasons why there is some poetic sense to this event. Some of the performers in the film have their cultural origins in Spain, others studied in Madrid or Granada to imbue themselves more fully in the “pure” art. Others combine their street culture, hip hop sounds with the centuries-old tradition to create new sounds. This migration, and the ethnic mix of the contemporary artists, recalls the origins of the art itself–the Andalusian gypsies, the Romani, the Spaniards of Arabic, Jewish and Christian descent, came together in Medieval Spain and created an expression of self, of the individual’s deepest feelings of love, fear, life in an art form that is unique to this country. As several of the performers in the film state in different ways, once an artist has been captured by the embrace of flamenco, once he or she has understood and incorporated its deepest meanings, there is nothing he or she can do but live it, perform it. Sometimes, even at the expense of other careers.

I’ve decided to include the information from a flyer we designed for the screening, in case anyone else in the cybersphere might be interested:

ENTRADA GRATUITA/ FREE FILM SCREENING

Pequeño Cine Estudio

calle Magallanes, 1 – 28015 Madrid

6 de junio, 11 horas / June 6, 11 am

 

Estreno europeo de una película documental dedicada a artistas del flamenco en la ciudad de Los Ángeles. European premiere of a documentary dedicated to flamenco artists in LA

Nominada a Mejor Película Documental y Mejor Banda Sonora en el Festival de Cine Internacional de Madrid, 6 – 10 de junio de 2012. Nominated to Best Feature Documentary and Best Soundtrack Madrid International Film Festival

Flamenco no es tan sólo un nombre para designar un cante, es una visión del mundo, una filosofía, un arte de vivir. – B. Leblon, El cante flamenco.

Incluye artistas consagrados como Antonio de Jérez y Antonio Triana, además de un elenco de músicos y bailores noveles de diversos orígenes étnicos, unidos por su dedicación a este arte centenario.

The screening will be followed by a live flamenco show at a nearby taberna. Wine, beer and refreshments will be served with jamón!