Cheo Feliciano

When the film West Side Story was released in 1961, New York's reviled Puerto Rican community gained some visibility and, over time, both in Spanish Harlem and the Bronx, neighborhoods plagued by poverty, drugs and crime, Hispanic identity was reborn and strengthened, thanks to a syncretic and intentionally popular music that eventually conquered the entire city.

More than a genre, salsa was a cultural movement that arose in a time of need for strengthening the Latino culture and spread across the world with such force that, 50 years later, is still moving the feet of dancers in the most inhospitable corners world. At the heart of the movement is the figure of Johnny Pacheco, know as one of the great musical legacies responsible for salsa music.

Homage to Puerto Rican composer Catalino Curet Alonso, or as his friends and fans call him, "Tite", representing how widely influential the composer remains.

Homage to famed 1950’s Puerto Rican singer, composer, and television personality Bobby Capó.

A testimony about Afro-Cuban popular music from its origins to the present day.

This documentary examines the musical tastes of Puerto Rico's youth. The terms "cocolos" refers to those who prefer salsa music, and "rockeros" to those who prefer rock music. Through interviews and an array of musical settings, the film explores the young people's feelings in a humorist yet serious manner, bringing to the forefront issues of biases and national identity inherent in this innocent yet very powerful form of social entertainment.

Leon Gast's musical documentary reveals New York City's Latin culture and features live performances of salsa greats The Fania All Stars and The Spanish Speaking People of New York. A document of urban American Hispanic culture, Gast's film captures the rhythms of New York's Spanish Harlem, from illegal cockfights and Santeria rituals to the rooftops and backstreets of El Barrio and the legendary musicians performing at the Cheetah club.

Documentary about the life of one of the most acclaimed soneros of the salsa genre. Chamaco Ramírez became well known for his unparalleled skills in the art of improvisation, leaving his mark and influence over multiple generations of singers. The film presents a balanced account of his life through the investigation of the circumstances that surrounded his life, as well as his enigmatic death in the streets of the Bronx on March 26, 1983.