Sponsored by: Sea Salt

One of the most intense and powerful traditions in authentic Latin music is the ballad, the “bolero,” tales of fiery passion and desire, underpinned by cataclysmic torment and heartbreak. So it is in Tono Errando and Javier Mariscal’s exquisitely animated love story Chico & Rita. It will have your feet tapping and head nodding, whilst snatching your heart. Set in Cuba in 1948, it is an old-fashioned love story about Chico, a young piano player with big dreams, and Rita, a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Yet, Chico & Rita never resorts to mawkish sentimentality or glib cliché.

New life has been breathed into this genre by the infectious and vibrant animation style and the glorious jazz soundtrack with cameos for Charlie Parker and Tito Puente. It’s a filmic feast for the senses, where both love and music conquer all.