On the Pacific coast of Colombia live almost exclusively afro-colombian people. They are descendants of former slaves who were brought to Colombia. Their roots go back to Africa. To express these roots in their culture they make traditional music. But the music is much more than just identity-forming. It spreads a good mood, it welds together and it makes life worth living in difficult circumstances. This also applies to the three Balanta siblings Martha, Diego and Emeterio. For them, music is life - even if they cannot live from their music. For us as directors it was important to not just go there and point the camera at them in order to show their culture. We wanted to present the Balanta siblings as modern heros of the african diaspora in Colombia. In usual documentaric work the camera is just pointed as an objective observer on the people and their culture. Therefore we often times as spectators get into the perspective of "looking down on them and their small lives". We chose a way of visual storrytelling which is literally looking up on their achievements and their lifestyle. Not judging it by any means but presenting it as somewhat heroic and deeply touching.

PRODUCTION COUNTRY        Colombia, Germany
PRODUCTION                             LOCOLOR
CO-PROCUCTION                     PARAMÓ FILMS

DIRECTOR                         Gregor Kuhlmann & Fernanda Pineda
DOP                                     Hanz Rippe
EDIT                                     Simon Hartl
MUSIC                                 Espíritu Balanta y Estrellas de Timbiqui
                                          Bastian Schmiedecke
COLORS                             Susi Dollnig
SOUNDDESIGN               Johannes Wimmer