10th edtion CIFF – 10-14 April 2024
FILMS 2019: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T – Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2018: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T – Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2017: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T – Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2016: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T – Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2015: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T – Z | Feature Film | Short Film
Abner Benaim | Panama, Argentina, Colombia | 2018 | doc | color | DCP | 85′ | Spanish | e.s.
Gabriel García Márquez once called him “the most popular unknown person in the world”. Rubén Blades is world famous as a salsa musician, singer and songwriter. He made 40 albums during his 50-year career and won 17 Grammys. The salsa legend with his political lyrics is a Harvard graduate with a degree in international law, was a presidential candidate in his home country of Panama and acted in Hollywood films (Robert Rodriguez’s Once Upon a Time in Mexico for example). From 1995 to 1999 he was also Panama’s Minister for Tourism.
Director and fellow countryman Abner Benaim’s camera team gained access to Rubén Blades’ well protected private life. From rehearsals and film sets to places from his youth and his apartment in New York: “You are the first to be allowed to film here and the last”. Together with Benaim, Blades returns to Panama’s past. Filled out by wonderful archival footage from his rich career, this creates a unique portrait of the most famous unknown.
Place: The Cinemas 3
Date: 10 April 2019
Time: 22:30
Duration: 1:05
Place: The Cinemas 3
Date: 11 April 2019
Time: 20:15
Duration: 1:05
Year in
Festival
2019
Director
Abner Benaim
Camera
Mauro Colombo
Gaston Girod
Carlos Rossini
Cast
Rubén Blades
Residente
Gilberto Santa Rosa
Paul Simon
Sting
Country
Panama
Argentina
Colombia
Editor
Felipe Guerrero
Language
Spanish
Length
85′
Music
Rubén Blades
Producer
Abner Benaim
Gema Juarez Allen
Year of Production
2018