New Documentary has video teaser

There is a new video teaser for the documentary "El Duque" up on La Quinceañeras website www.laquinceaneradocumentary.com unders Trailers. "El Duque" is the story of Joan Soriano, a Bachata Musician from the Dominican Republic, as he struggles to reach his goal of a hit CD and success as a musician. It is also the story of his large extended family living in the rural countryside of Monte Plata as they dream along with him, hoping that his success will improve their economic situation and quality of life. As a child, Joan's hands were protected by his father from the dangers of agricultural work after it was discovered that he had a talent for the guitar. Immediately upon this discovery, Joan, along with his siblings and other neighborhood kids formed a musical group and began performing for neighbors. Improvising with found object instruments such as homemade guitars, tin can maracas, glass bottles bass, and plastic bucket tamboras, they entertained others with merengues and bachatas that are native to the their country the Dominican Republic.

Joan is now 35 and lives with his girlfriend and son 20 minutes from Monte Plata in the barrio of Villa Mella that abuts Santo Domingo. Villa Mella has a strong Congolese influence and Joan's bachata, merengue, and salsa, draws heavily upon the Afro-Dominican tradition that flourishes in this barrio. Joan has been featured on the "Rough Guide to the Bachata" and on the documentary "Santo Domingo Blues" as well as performed and recorded with big name bachata musicians such as Joe Veras and Zacarias Ferreira. However, at 35 he has not had his own hit and he feels his time running out. At times, he battles with desperation and depression but continues forward with his music and dream. Within the last few years, a music producer named Benjamin de Menil from IASO Records has begun recording a CD of Joan's music. If Joan is going to make it the time is now.

In "El Duque" the rythms of life are played out and the story of a family is written. Saturated with music, Dominican culture, intimate portraits, and the dreams of Joan and his family, "El Duque" provides an emotionally an intellectually satisfying story to those hungry for documentary content.

Leaving for the Dominican Republic

Just an update. I will be leaving the country for a month to travel to the Dominican Republic on August 7th. There I will begin work and research on a new documentary that will be a personal portrait of a bachata musician. I will also shoot a bachata dance instruction video while there. After that I will return to attend a couple of film festivals with "La Quinceañera."