Feature Fridays: Zonda: Folclore Argentino
In our final post celebrating Hispanic Heritage month, guest blogger Andrew Brown, ILL student assistant, reviews the film, available from Alexander Street Press with 鶹Ƶ login.
There is something for everyone in this movie.
CarlosSaura’s2016filmZonda:FolcloreArgentinois more of a visual album than an industry-standard film.Dancers and musiciansof Argentine descent use their combinedtalents to present a showcase ofArgentinianculture(think of it like a culturaltalent show).Saura uses minimalist staging with sunset-colored backgroundstoexposeuniversalthemesoftradition, pride, and passion in thepeople of Argentina.Students at 鶹Ƶ can, and I highly recommend you do. The visuals areeye-candy,and the passion behind each performance isinspiring, but I would not recommend watching the film from start to finish. Much like an album, I invite audiences to select a random point in the film and try to appreciate the performance you selected. Bounce around the film, pick random points until you findperformancesyou like, and you will understand the rich cultural diversity of Argentinaover time.
An ideal place to start is [50:25] with the performance entitled “PeñaCuyana.”Youwillsee a handful of peoplegathering togetherat chairs and tables, as well as two guitarists and apercussionist.The singers in the roomexpressheartachethrough the song “VolvereSiemprea San Juan,”wishing for the day ofreturn to San Juan “when the autumn collectsremainders of suns there at the vineyard.” I was confused as to why the song mourned San Juan,but after researching the lyrics of the song I discovered that San Juan,Argentina was nearly destroyed by a cataclysmic earthquake in 1944 andin1977. The desire to return to San Juan connected with me in a way Icouldn’timagine;I’msure that so many people reading this review have mourned for a place they could not go back to.
I won’t break down every performance in this film, but I will provide starting points for some of my favorite numbers. “Malambo” at [54:31] honors the tradition of Afro-Latin drumming with explosive sets of percussion music. “Bailecito” at [2:45] provides context for the musical styles of Argentina as pianist Horacio Lavandera demonstrates the tradition of Argentine piano. Do not skip “HomenajeaMercesesSosa” at [24:08], her recording of “Todo Cambia” (Everything Changes) isa moving testament to the way life changes around the world.
The brilliance inFolcloreArgentinodoes not come from stunning visuals or moving musical numbers, although they arebeautiful to experience.The brilliance of this moviecomesfromshared humanity,thatwe have allexperienced the emotionstheperformersrecreate in front of us,and that we are no different from thepeople ofArgentina.
Enjoy the musical exploration waiting for you.
are available from Alexander Street Press with your 鶹Ƶ login.