75 centavos [2013]
[documentary - 20:27 min.]
(This film can be seen only on demand - go to contact page)
Documentary film about Don Carmelo, the last sirimcho player, filmed in Michoacan (Mexico) by Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete.
Don Carmelo was/is (?) the last sirimcho player ("sirimcho" means "smashed buttock" in purepecha due to the form of the back of the instrument), being aware of that situation, artist/musician Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete along with Abel García, mexican luthier, went there to film a rescue Don Carmelo's life/history and hipnotizing music.
A difficult task was to start filming, Don Carmelo lives in Tarecuato (small village in Michoacan, Mexico) and was not interested at all in talking to both persons that came to disturb him (specially to Bertrand Chavarría-Aldrete, being "less indian" in his physical aspect).
A voice behind a wooden door would shout:
"He's not here"
"Who is searching for him?"
"Why do you want to talk to him?"
After a long explanation, both artists get inside and find an extraordinary place with the most unique soundscape. Quite annoyed by the camera, Don Carmelo would not look at it during the first hour.
The result is a documentary that was finally made ten years after the filming due to a magical (most unthinkable) encounter in 2012.
