The Sons of Buena Vista

There are few documentaries I have enjoyed more than "Buena Vista Social Club," Wim Wenders' welcome journey into the world of Cuban music.

Along with great songs, what really made it work was the cast of colorful characters, including Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo and Eliades Ochoa, who were more interesting than most fictional creations we see on the big screen.

One of these musical giants, composer and performer Pio Leyva, shown above, is back as the tour guide for an upcoming sequel of sorts, "The Sons of Buena Vista." Described as a docudrama, it introduces us to the next generation of Cuban musicians on the rise.

Though Wenders is along this time as a producer, the movie will be directed by German Kral, an Argentinian whose IMDB credits feature movies I had never heard of. "Sons" has been picked up for North American distribution by Cinema Libre Studio, which plans to release it sometime this summer.

On a sad note, I just discovered Leyva died yesterday of a heart attack, so take this promising flick as a sort of parting gift from him to music and movie lovers everywhere.