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For those who think salsa music is fading, La Salsa Vive delivers a powerful counterpoint: Salsa is not only alive—it thrives in Cali, Colombia, the undisputed Salsa Capital of the World.
Directed by Cali native Juan Carvajal, the documentary made its world premiere at SXSW and is already making waves globally. What began as a simple search for answers—What is salsa? Where did it come from? Where is it now?—became a decade-long journey tracing the genre’s Afro-Antillean roots through New York’s golden era and ultimately back home to Cali, where salsa is the culture.
While Carvajal was surprised to find that salsa had all but disappeared from New York, Cali told a different story. In his hometown, the rhythms echo through streets, car stereos, and dance studios. “There is no place in the world that keeps salsa alive as Cali, Colombia,” Carvajal declares. And his film proves it.
La Salsa Vive features powerful interviews and rare archival footage, spotlighting legends like Rubén Blades, Henry Fiol, Johnny “Dandy” Rodríguez, and Willie Rosario. But beyond the music, the documentary showcases how salsa transforms lives: a little girl raised on its rhythms, a dentist who’s danced since childhood, and youth dance programs that offer an alternative to violence.
Yes, salsa once had financial support from narcos in Colombia’s dark past, but the documentary makes clear that in Cali today, salsa is about community, survival, and joy.
As cities from Tokyo to Vietnam request screenings, Carvajal and producer Diego Ramírez remain grounded. “The most important audience is the people in Cali,” Ramírez says. “This is a mirror. Understand where you came from and be proud.”
Pride is exactly what La Salsa Vive stirs. It’s a film by Latinos, for Latinos—and for anyone who understands that music isn’t just sound; it’s soul.
‘La Salsa Vive’ on Netflix July 25.
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