Fados

Plot Summary

From the award-winning director of "Flamenco" and the Oscar-nominated "Tango," Carlos Saura's ravishing new performance film explores Portugal's most emblematic musical genre with a fusion of cinema, song and dance. Tracing fado from its African and Brazilian origins to the new wave of contemporary fadistas, Saura expands its traditional singer-and-guitar form with infusions of hip hop, flamenco, tango, ballet and reggae—both in sound and movement. He also ingeniously deploys mirrors, back projections, archival footage, expressionistic lighting and lush colors to frame a collection of performances that survey a rich history of this art form. Featuring international superstars such as Caetano Veloso, Lila Downs and Mariza, plus rare footage of the legendary Amália Rodrigues, Fados is a celebration of world music in the fullest sense of the term, and one of the finest musical documentaries to date.