Mafifa
(Mafifa)
Daniela Muñoz Barroso | Documentary
2021 | 77 minutes | Cuba
Deaf filmmaker Daniela Muñoz Barroso uncovers the legacy of trailblazing female musician Mafifa, finding inspiration and self-discovery along the way.
Synopsis
Filmmaker Daniela Muñoz Barroso, nearly deaf and relying on her eyes as much as her ears, embarks on a journey to Santiago de Cuba to uncover the legacy of Mafifa, an extraordinary musician who defied social norms to play the bell, a metal percussion instrument traditionally reserved for men in Cuban conga. Decades after Mafifa's untimely death, Barroso traces her story through conversations with those who remember her as a brilliant musician and fearless woman who challenged the machismo around her. As Barroso delves deeper into Mafifa’s world, capturing vibrant landscapes and the resilient people of Santiago, her search becomes an intimate exploration of her own insecurities and passions, reflecting her personal connection with Mafifa's spirit.
Reviews
“A dynamic portrait of late Cuban congan musician Mafifa. A rare, welcome example of a biographical documentary whose own style matches the unorthodox and radical example of its subject.” – Neil Young, Screen Daily
“The film manages to calibrate, with surprising authenticity, an aesthetic experience full of revelations, which, without pose of stylistic transcendence, it enhances the sharpness of the its discourse and transforms it into something more.” – Ángel Pérez, Rialta
“In ‘Mafifa’, director Daniela Muñoz Barroso creates a sensory feast that uses the power of cinema to share the experience of progressive hearing loss.” – Nick Cunningham, Business Doc Europe
Citation
Main credits
Muñoz Barroso, Daniela (film director)
Muñoz Barroso, Daniela (screenwriter)
Muñoz Barroso, Daniela (film producer)
Melián Moreno, Carlos (screenwriter)
Montero, Joanna (screenwriter)
Montero, Leila (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Daniela Muñoz Barroso; editing, Joanna Montero; music, Sarah Gutiérrez, Pepe Gavilondo.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Afro-Latin Studies
Anthropology
Biography
Caribbean Studies
Disabilities
Gender + Sexuality Studies
Latin American Studies
Music
Sociology
Women
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
IDFA Internatonal Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam; Göteborg Film Festival; It’s All True Film Festival; Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival - FIPRESCI Award
DIRECTOR: Daniela Muñoz Barroso
NATIONALITY: Cuba
YEAR: 2021
GENRE: Documentary
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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Dicing with Death, Ep. 05 - Cuba: Viva la Vida
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