Although mariachi music has traditionally been performed by groups of male singer-instrumentalists, Elizabeth Massie and Matthew Buzzell's documentary Compañeras combines interviews, home movies, and concert footage to tell the story of a female mariachi band. Founded in 1994, the Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles has not only achieved considerable renown (maintaining a full schedule of live performances and recording several CDs), but also inspired the formation of similar groups. While it offers some insights into the history of mariachi music and its central importance to Mexican culture, Compañeras focuses on the group itself. An interview with founding director Jose Hernandez provides context for Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles' beginnings, but it's the intertwined stories of the women who have appeared in the ensemble that comprise the lion's share of the documentary (with some members, such as non-Latina violinist Cindy Reifler—who becomes the band's leader—receiving extended treatment). Revealing the individual dreams and struggles of the players as well as the behind-the-scenes drama that inevitably colors their interrelationships (including tensions between professional and personal aspirations related to marriage and motherhood), Compañeras celebrates both a beloved musical style and feminine camaraderie. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Compañeras
(2008) 59 min. DVD or VHS: $99: public libraries; $295: colleges & universities. Filmakers Library. PPR. Volume 24, Issue 3
Compañeras
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