MISS ANGELA WILL ARRIVE ON DEMAND
AND DIGITAL STREAMERS TODAY, MAY 18
In pre-revolutionary Cuba, a young Angela Alvarez announced to her family that she wanted to be a singer and songwriter but was immediately forbidden to do so by her father and grandfather. Such endeavors were not permitted for women. And so she was relegated to writing her songs in secret. She married and had four children before the world turned upside down. For Angela and her family, the revolution quickly shifted from emancipation to repression. The schools were closed and there were threats that children would be removed from their parents to be raised in Leninist-Marxist education camps; the Alvarez family decided they had to get out. But when her own visa was refused at Havana airport Angela made the agonizing decision to send her children on and catch up. They became part of the Pedro Pan exodus where 14,500 unaccompanied children were spirited out of Cuba between 1960-62. It took Angela four more long, frightening years to escape and reunite her family, finally settling down in the United States. Only decades later would her music find life, culminating in a concert at the historic Avalon in Hollywood, hosted by Academy Award winner, Andy Garcia, no less. It’s a stunning example of overcoming adversity, defying the odds, and pursuing the American Dream.
DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS: Paul Toogood and Lloyd Stanton
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Andy Garcia
STARRING: Angela Alvarez, Andy Garcia, Carlos Alvarez
MORE: www.angelaalvarez.com
Musicians who took part are Grammy winners Luis Conte, Jose Alvarez, Alberto Salas, Ramon Stagnaro, and Justo Almario with Grammy nominated musicians Danilo Lozano, Dayren Santamaria, and Roberto Rosario. Other musicians include Carlos Alvarez, Jorge Sawa-Perez, Roque Garcia, Mariano Dugatkin, and Jessicca Brizuela.
My Review and Thoughts:
I enjoyed watching the story of Angela Alvarez. She lived an amazing life! No mother should ever have to bury their child, but she did. And she lived her life, for them too! Angela is a great singer and song writer! I wish I could have been at her concert in Los Angeles. That would have been so fun! Hearing that her and her children were separated for 2-3 years was heartbreaking. But it was nice to hear that they were reunited eventually. This is a great story about Angela's life, where she grew up, and about her children and her singing too!
