Chavela (2017)
Chavela (2017), directed by Catherine Gund, starring Chavela Vargas and Pedro Almodóvar.
score
A Singer. A Fighter. A Symbol.
Synopsis
Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.
- Catherine GundCinematography, Director, Producer
- Natalia CuevasCinematography
- Paula Gutiérrez OrioCinematography
- Daresha KyiDirector, Producer
About the film
Chavela is a 2017 American documentary film, directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi. The film is a portrait of Mexican singer and actress Chavela Vargas. Vargas was known for her singing of boleros and behavior on and off the stage. The film covers her identity as a singer and lesbian, something she did not publicly confirm until much later in her life.
The film premiered at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival on February 9, 2017, in the Panorama Dokumente program. It was picked up for international distribution by Latido Films.
The film was a GLAAD Media Award nominee for Outstanding Documentary at the 29th GLAAD Media Awards. The film was screened at the 2017 Inside Out Film and Video Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary, and at the 2018 Queer North Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice award for Best Women's Film. The film also won a Pink Dragon Audience Award for the best film at the 2017 Ljubljana LGBT Film Festival.
Read the full article (2k characters)
Chavela is a 2017 American documentary film, directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi. The film is a portrait of Mexican singer and actress Chavela Vargas. Vargas was known for her singing of boleros and behavior on and off the stage. The film covers her identity as a singer and lesbian, something she did not publicly confirm until much later in her life.
The film premiered at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival on February 9, 2017, in the Panorama Dokumente program. It was picked up for international distribution by Latido Films.
The film was a GLAAD Media Award nominee for Outstanding Documentary at the 29th GLAAD Media Awards. The film was screened at the 2017 Inside Out Film and Video Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary, and at the 2018 Queer North Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice award for Best Women's Film. The film also won a Pink Dragon Audience Award for the best film at the 2017 Ljubljana LGBT Film Festival.
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 40 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Chavela pays affecting tribute to its subject with an absorbing documentary that outlines her remarkable life while effectively communicating the power and lingering impact of her art." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 68 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Format
The soundtrack for the documentary contains mostly songs performed by Chavela Vargas. The film contains archival interview footage recorded by Catherine Gund. The film breaks from the previous mythification of Chavela Vargas as a unique artistic object.
References
External links
Chavela at IMDb
Text from Chavela (film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavela_(film)
Trivia
- It premiered on June 16, 2017, a Friday.
- It runs 1h33 — a typical feature length.
- This film's quiz has 9 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosAubin Pictures
- CountriesMexico, Spain, United States
- LanguagesSpanish
- StatusReleased
More about this film
Filming locations
- Melilla
Videos
Cast
-
Chavela Vargas
Self (archive footage) -
Pedro Almodóvar
Self -
Miguel Bosé
Self -
Martirio
Self -
Laura García Lorca
Self -
Eugenia León
Self -
Jesusa Rodríguez
Self -
Tania Libertad
Self - Marcela Rodríguez Self
- José Alfredo Jimenez Jr. Self
- Alicia Elena Pérez Duarte Self
- Betty-Carol Sellen Self
- Diana Ortega Self
- Patria Jiménez Flores Self
- Tlany Ortega Self
-
Liliana Felipe
Self - Mariana Gyalui Self
- Elena Benarroch Self
-
Frida Kahlo
Self (archive footage) -
Ava Gardner
Self (archive footage)
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
Miss Americana
7.8
-
Cameraperson Documentary from the 2010s
6.7
-
Bettie Page Reveals All Documentary from the 2010s
6.8
-
A Noite que Mudou o Pop
7.9
-
Seduzido e Abandonado Documentary from the 2010s
6.2
-
Eu Sou: Celine Dion
7.6
-
O Legado de Sidney Poitier
7.0
-
Ser James Bond
7.8
-
John Candy: Eu Me Amo
7.9
-
Whitney Documentary from the 2010s
7.3
-
Maria Callas - em suas próprias palavras Documentary from the 2010s
7.3
-
Obi-Wan Kenobi: O Retorno do Jedi
6.8
Tags
Crew
- Catherine Gund Cinematography
- Natalia Cuevas Cinematography
- Paula Gutiérrez Orio Cinematography
- Catherine Gund Director
- Daresha Kyi Director
- Carla Gutierrez Editing
- Catherine Gund Producer
- Daresha Kyi Producer
- Gil Talmi Original music
Questions about this film
What is Chavela about?
Chavela: Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.
Who directed Chavela?
Chavela was directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi in 2017.
Who stars in Chavela?
The cast of Chavela includes Chavela Vargas, Pedro Almodóvar, Miguel Bosé, Martirio and Laura García Lorca.
How long is Chavela?
Chavela runs for 93 minutes, or 1h33.
Similar films
-
7.3
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
2022
-
6.3
Jackass: The Movie
2002
-
7.5
The Social Dilemma
2020
-
6.7
Super Size Me
2004
-
7.5
Bowling for Columbine
2002
-
7.9
Free Solo
2018
-
6.6
Jackass 3D
2010
-
7.1
Fahrenheit 9/11
2004
-
7.8
Friends: The Reunion
2021
-
7.7
Citizenfour
2014
-
6.6
Jackass Number Two
2006
-
7.6
Amy
2015
Page updated on 09/14/2026.
Back to the catalogue
