Cali, Colombia: the salsa capital of the world, where the streets are alive with the vibrant sounds of music and dancing. Untangling salsa’s cultural roots, director Juan Carvajal traces the hybrid genre’s dynamic evolution in New York City as an infectious blend of Afro-Cuban styles and American jazz in the 1960s and 70s to Cali, where the tradition endures today, livelier as ever.
La Salsa Vive takes on a celebratory atmosphere, exploring salsa’s ability to inspire communities and bring a bit more passion to quotidian life. Against a backdrop of rare archival footage and performances, renowned musicians like Rubén Blades and Willie Rosario share stories and perspectives from their careers, emphasizing salsa’s power to enrich the soul. An immersive and beautiful embodiment of the exuberance salsa brings out in people, Carvajal’s documentary highlights the rich legacy of the genre as it reaches new heights with each generation.
Presented by
Media Partner
Community Partner
Rubén Blades, Henry Fiol, Willie Rosario, Angel Lebron, Johnny Rodriguez, Luis Eduardo Mulato
Colombia/USA
2025
In Spanish with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Producer
Diego Ramirez, Kevin Lopez, Juan Carvajal
Screenwriter
Juan Carvajal
Cinematography
Mauricio Vidal
Editor
María Clara Guzmán
Original Music
Felipe Bravo, Rubén Blades, Henry Fiol, La Máxima 79, Rubén Gonzalez, Mario Allison, Alfredo Linares, Grupo Niche, Los Van Van de Cuba
Juan Carvajal
With a rich background in film programming, Juan Carvajal has showcased the unique perspectives of Colombian filmmakers and fostered cultural connections as the founder of the Colombian Film Festival in New York. Now, transitioning from curating to creating, he aims to craft narratives that resonate universally and capture the essence of the human experience.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Schindler Space Architect
RM Schindler is now recognized as one of the most important modernist architects of the era, the man who laid the groundwork for what is now considered the epitome of California indoor-outdoor living. This doc sheds light on a previously unsung genius.
VIFF+ Members' Early Bird Day Screening: Late Fame
Join us at the VIFF Centre on August 6 for a free VIFF+ members-only screening of Late Fame! Catch up with your fellow cinema fans and hear from VIFF's Director of Programming. Not a member? You can join now!
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Sasha Waters' documentary takes us through the life of America's best-selling late twentieth century poet, a private woman who shared her innermost thoughts and made them indispensable.
Crash
Sex drive, David Cronenberg-style. The car-crash fetishists who orbit Cronenberg's metrosexual Toronto (they include James Spader, Holly Hunter, and Deborah Unger) obsessively seek a fusion of metal and flesh... Fender bender as the ultimate orgasm.