As passionate and full-of-life as the music it celebrates.
La Salsa Vive screens as part of this year’s 2026 HSBC Spanish and Latin American Film Festival, more information about the festival is available here: HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival in cinemas June
Read the Glam Adelaide story about the festival here: 2026 HSBC Spanish & Latin American Film Festival begins 10 June – 5 July at Palace Nova Cinemas – Glam Adelaide
Colombian filmmaker, cultural curator, and founder of the Colombian Film Festival New York, Juan Carvajal is passionate about life, art, and his home country. For his first feature-length film he has decided to explore the cultural phenomena that is known as salsa.
Salsa is an overarching term for a genre of music and dance that actually embraces several different musical styles such as son, merengue, and pachanga. Although it contains elements of indigenous sounds, it is not an inherently South American style. Originating in Cuba, this music went to New York where jazz was put into the mix, then via records into ports in South America, where locals embraced it and made it their own. One of these ports-of-entry was Buenaventura in Colombia, which is a hop and a skip from the interior city of Cali.
La Salsa Vive is an examination of salsa as cultural force, but it is predominantly a love letter to Cali, which is now recognised as the home of salsa. What Carvajal captures well is the role that salsa plays in the life of the barrio. Like boxing is for many boys from the ‘hood, salsa is a way out of poverty and violence for many young people in the tougher neighbourhoods of Cali.
In standard documentary structure, Carvajal intercuts interviews, and archival material, with the new footage, taken in both New York and Cali. It is clear that the musical dialogue continues between these two cities. Interviewees include salsa idols such as Rubén Blades, Henry Fiol, and Luis Eduardo Hernandez. We share rehearsals with Hernandez’s dance troupe, follow the ambitions of a young competitive dancing couple, and hear stories from the old-timers, some of whom died before the film’s release.
Although not claiming to be a history of salsa, the film would have benefitted from a little more exploration of salsa’s intricate, cross-pollinated, genesis. And much as it is full of great characters and fabulous music, there are times when it drags and becomes self-indulgent. However, neither of these issues are enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of this work. The final shots involving children are worth the price of admission alone.
La Salsa Vive is a solid addition to the canon of music documentaries.
Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
Rating 4 out of 5
Distributor: Palace Films
