Private Project

Bakosó: AfroBeats of Cuba

What does “Está Rico” by Marc Anthony, Will Smith & Bad Bunny have in common with “Made For Now” by Janet Jackson x Daddy Yankee? They both high-jacked AfroBeats and did not give the genre’s origin props. Bakosó is a film that does the opposite, following DJ Jigüe to his hometown of Santiago de Cuba to find inspiration from the new sounds. He finds Afrobeats has helped create a new genre called Bakosó, which itself is beautiful proof that the exchange between Cuba and Africa did not end with the Transatlantic slave trade. Through stunning visuals and a score created by the founders of the genre, the film shows the technology, culture and landscape that shape this African-Caribbean fusion.

  • Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi
    Director
    Inventos: Hip Hop Cubano, HomeGrown: HipLife in Ghana, Tengo Talento, Defend Puerto Rico
  • Los Hermanos Fantauzzi
    Producer
    Inventos: Hip Hop Cubano, HomeGrown: HipLife in Ghana, Tengo Talento, Defend Puerto Rico
  • Isnay Rodriguez
    Key Cast
    "Dj Jigüe"
    VICE, OKAY AFRICA, VIBE
  • Ozkaro Delga2
    Key Cast
    "Ozkaro Delga2"
  • Maykel El Padrino
    Key Cast
    "Maykel El Padrino"
  • El Inka
    Key Cast
    "El Inka"
  • Alian Hernandez
    Editor
  • Toussaint Avila Alvarez
    Cinematographer
  • Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi
    Cinematographer
    Inventos: Hip Hop Cubano, HomeGrown: HipLife in Ghana, Tengo Talento, Defend Puerto Rico
  • Ayme Sosa Pompa
    Writer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Bakosó: AfroBeats de Cuba
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    50 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 11, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Cuba
  • Country of Filming:
    Cuba, United States
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • The Pan African Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    February 11, 2019
    World Premiere
    Audience Award
  • Hayti Heritage Film Festival
    Durham, NC
    United States
    February 16, 2019
    North Carolina Premiere
    Closing Night Film w/ Bakosó Dj & After Party (They don't give out awards)
Director Biography - Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi

Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi is graduate of UC Berkeley, he received his MA degree from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Eli is an award winning filmmaker and currently directs FistUp.TV. His work has circulated through the National Broadcast: Free Speech TV, Teaching Channel and PBS . He is the co-founder of Defend Puerto Rico a multimedia project designed to document and celebrate Puerto Rican creativity, resilience, and resistance. Eli is curating his ninth Annual Fist Up Film Festival in the Bay Area, California. His dedication to his craft is deeply connected to his commitment to social justice and the belief in the transformative power of film.

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Director Statement

For years I've been producing documentaries that shine light on communities across the globe, including in Ghana, where I spent ten years traveling to make the film, "HomeGrown: HipLife in Ghana". That film explored the first inklings of what has now become the AfroBeats explosion. This new project is important because it's a fresh take on a global music trend from the Cuban perspective. Bakosó explores how that same music, by way of African medical students, emerged as a new culture in Cuba.