"Chico & Rita" Film Screening & Reception

The entertainment business always decreases the odds of a successful relationship with the opposite sex. Such is the case with Chico & Rita in 1948 Cuba. Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unites them, but their journey – in the tradition of the Latin ballad, the bolero – brings heartache and torment.

From Havana to New York, Paris, Hollywood and Las Vegas, two passionate individuals battle impossible odds to unite in music and love. With an original soundtrack by legendary Cuban pianist and five-time Grammy -winning composer Bebo Valdés, Chico & Rita captures a defining moment in the evolution of history and jazz, and features the music of (and animated cameos by) Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Cole Porter, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Tito Puente, Chano Pozo, and others. Oscar -winning director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque, Calle 54) and Spain’s legendary illustrator Javier Mariscal celebrate their passion for the music and culture of Cuba with an epic story of love, passion, and heartbreak. In Spanish with English subtitles

The Chico & Rita After Party takes place immediately following the film where the audience will be treated a delectable array of Cuban cuisine provided by Some Things Fishy Catering, Cuban and Latin American music and a wide array alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Tickets are $35.00 for the film and reception.

Chico & Rita has been circling the globe to rave reviews. This is what people are saying!

ALMOST UNIMAGINABLY RICH AND RESONANT!
A reminder not only of the aesthetic vitality of hand-drawn, two-dimensional animation, but also of the form's ability to provide entertainment and enlightenment for adults.
- AO Scott. NY Times

A SWOONINGLY BEAUTIFUL, ADULTS-ONLY DRAMA!
Give the Academy major props for handing a Best Animated Feature Film nomination to something as wonderful as "Chico & Rita"! - Lou Lumenick, New York Post

FOUR STARS! - I LOVE IT! LUSHLY SCORED AND MAGICAL, THE BEST MUSIC FILM IN ANY GENRE IN A LONG TIME! - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

FOUR STARS! A PASSIONATE, GLOBE-HOPPING LOVE-STORY
AN ANIMATED GEM! - The epic sweep of Trueba’s heart-tugging story is anchored in Mariscal’s gorgeous cityscapes: pre-Castro Havana is a cozy tangle of mottled wood and Tropicana rhythms, while the towering skyscrapers of New York and the sprawling soundstages of Hollywood emphasize just how far – artistically and emotionally – our lovers have come.
– Time Out London

FOUR STARS! A LOVE-STORY FOR THE AGES! - By turns wistful, passionate, indignant and melancholy, this is an exquisitely composed piece of storytelling. – The Independent

EXUBERANT! BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL! - A visually hypnotic, musically electric film! – The Hollywood Reporter

“FOUR STARS! HISPANIC ART DECO MEETS THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE!"
“The music is a splurge of euphony, featuring classics from Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.” – Financial Times

In Spanish with English subtitles