Translation by Patricia Boero Léalo en español
Antón Alvarez, world famous in the flamenco/pop/reggetón/rap fusion genre as a composer and singer under the name C. Tangana, makes his directorial debut with Yerai Cortés’ Flamenco Guitar, a non-fiction film. The film is promoted as a “mystery” within a family, which is so weak that it would not survive even as a short film. On the other hand, the protagonist and his family provide enough material for several feature films.
Yerai Cortés is 29 years old, a kid! He was raised in the flamenco tradition but flirts successfully with contemporary music. He is a talented guitarist, but according to flamenco experts, not exceptional. At least until now. So why dedicate a documentary to him then?
Antón and Yerai met one night when several stars aligned in the Madrid sky. The “stars” were artificial satellites, but that detail did not ruin the magic of the encounter. That night Yerai talked about an album project in which he would discuss his identity problems, the dichotomy of being or not being gypsy enough, about his separated parents unable to speak to each other, and his love for a non-gypsy. This film is the gestation of that project.
Yerai and his family have the rare quality of being histrionic and sincere at the same time. They recount intimate stories, crimes, witchcraft and feelings with great ease and charm. They are exuberant and attractive without any qualms. The songs were edited as small performances that range from an elaborate piece as a tribute to his mother, with the cantaoras (singers) barely covered with lace, to a false improvisation in the neighborhood square with a bailaor (dancer) wearing sandals and a Hawaiian shirt. The credits for each musical piece are a family album, both in terms of performers and dedications.
When Antón Álvarez asked to film the origin of the album, he clarified that he would not participate in the music: “I have too much respect for flamenco.” The camerawork and the script? Well that’s another thing. After opening with a dance and a lot of rhythmic clapping, the first person to appear on the scene is the director. Sitting in a bar, inexplicably out of focus, he describes how the film began. That “excessive ambition” that C. Tangana confesses to in his album, does not allow him to be out of frame, or only participate with a voice-over. He appears in interviews and in conversations. It is his film, and he will not let us forget it. We must nevertheless recognize his sense of humor in leaving out the fragments in which Yerai’s father speaks of his music as “rapatai”, “reggetono” “rapraprapatai” and wants him to be included in the album just for the advertising value, or to do choruses.
You don’t need a fortune teller or the stars’ alignment to know that this film will be successful. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a serious documentary, but the director masters the subject and the protagonist is talented. Rhythm and music, who could ask for anything more?
Direccion: Antón Álvarez
Cast: Yerai Cortés, María Merino de Paz, Miguel Cortés, Tania García
Producer: Cristina Trenas
Cinematography: Diego Trenas, Uri Barcelona, Arnau Valls, Nauzet Gaspar, Alvar Riu
Edition: Marcos Flórez, Cristobal Fernández
Music: Yerai Cortés, Antón Álvarez, Harto Rodríguez
Sound: Lin Chang
Production Company: Little Spain (Spain)
Distribución: A Contracorriente Film
Venue: San Sebastian Film Festival (New Directors)
Running time: 95 m.
In Spanish
