The Way to Andina

This is a bit uncomfortable for me. Like most people I have a healthy allergy to self promotion. But this documentary we made about resurrecting my great grandfather’s long lost opera is apparently starting to get traction. So I have some stuff to share.

What people are saying…

Today’s edition of The Chicago Reader includes a long profile piece that has my mother blushing:

“…The Way to Andina is an upbeat experience. Parsa shows great affection for the people who supported the opera’s creation, including the singers, the conductor, and the public relations specialist who helped him promote it. His use of illustrations to visualize the opera’s research and transcription (inspired, he says, by Errol Morris’s documentaries) is witty and engaging. And the movie communicates the excitement of recovering history and of putting on a show.”

Third Coast Review writes about the mission to put on the opera:

“Parsa is clearly in over his head, and he’s charmingly not afraid to admit it. His endearing self-deprecation is probably what convinces singers, stagehands and an orchestra to pitch in on the production, and it’ll keep you cheering him on as well. Though clearly made on a budget (the film and the opera), Parsa’s generations-in-the-making mission is an underdog story with depth and sincerity, deserving of a bravo moment or two of its own.”

Remezcla calls the film a “must see”:

“Chronicling this ambitious tribute, this documentary may be the most touching gift a young great-grandson could come up with.”

So, can you make it to a screening?
The first local one here in Chicago is this Sunday, as part of Chicago International Movies & Music Festival’s Spring Fling. Buy tickets here.
Onward!
Arlen

P.S. – If you have other ideas about where to screen the film, just send me an email and we’ll make it happen 🙂

I am pleased, happy, excited, OVER THE MOON to announce that my documentary about discovering a long lost opera and giving it a world premiere is finally finished. And not only is it done, we’ve got three film festival screening dates to announce in Chicago. Can you make it to any of these screenings? Tickets are super cheap and this will be a lot of fun!

Sunday April 23, 3PM – Chicago International Movies & Music Festival
Buy Tickets – First Ward/Chop Shop

Saturday, April 29, 3:30PM – Chicago Latino Film Festival
Buy Tickets – AMC River East

Monday, May 1, 5:30PM – Chicago Latino Film Festival
Buy Tickets – AMC River East

I recently showed the first 10 minutes of the film at an event called Doc Talk and I was (pleasantly) surprised by how much people enjoyed it. The documentary turned out to be quite funny! And sweet.

I’ll be at each screening event doing Q&As after the film and if you’re in Chicago I hope you can join me at one of these shows. We’ll try to gather as many people who were involved in making the film and putting on the opera together, so it’ll be like three parties.

I can’t wait to see you soon!
Arlen

A bit more than a year ago you joined me on a weird and fun journey to give my great-grandfather’s long lost opera a world premiere. The opera, as you may remember, is calledAndina. Today I wanted to share with you some good news: the documentary I’ve been making about that adventure is almost complete!

Right now I’m working with a team of creative pros to finish the doc and make it look and sound awesome. Here’s a snapshot of Clark the colorist and Stephen the sound mixer, in their natural habitats, hard at work on the film:

Many of the people on this email list helped make the opera happen and I think you’ll enjoy the quirky film that I’ve made about it. I look forward to sharing more about when and how you can watch the film soon.

Onward!
Arlen

Well, on Friday night we performed the world premiere of my great grandfather’s long lost opera Andina, 80 years after it was written. Wow.

Our conductor Chris Ramaekers, our singers, the Chicago Composers Orchestra, and everyone behind the scenes rocked it. Don’t just take my word for it, read Newcity Stage’s glowing review of the show.

Thank you so much for all your support throughout this journey. Your words of encouragement, advice and contributions have been tremendously meaningful and sustaining to me and the whole team.

I can’t wait to share the behind the scenes documentary, concert video and music once they’re ready. There’s still a few hours left to contribute to our Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign if you’re interested in getting those rewards (it ends at 10pm today). And those of you who were involved in this adventure firsthand will of course be getting copies as soon as it’s over.

Onward!
Arlen

P.S. – Very soon I’ll be posting a bunch of great photos from the other night on our Facebook page. So if you haven’t Liked it, now’s a great time to do so!