Private Project

El Sabroso

El Sabroso is a documentary about the relationship between Cuban traditional music and dance. The film centers on the life and work of tres-guitar player Adel Nuñez "El Sabroso" and his wife, professional dancer Barbara Morales. Son music and culture are explored through concentric circles of relationships. The outer circle is the global route of Cuban dance, music, and religion (Europe- Africa- America). The next circle is national: the mobility of El Sabroso, who moved from the province to the capital. Next comes the urban circle and the barrio, the neighborhood of Guanabacoa. Finally, the inner circle — the nucleus— is the family of Adel and Barbara, represented in their domestic space which, as Sarah Pink writes in her book, Doing Visual Ethnography, is "a site for performing everyday life experiences and identities." Tragically, on August 7, 2024, Adel passed away unexpectedly at the age of 38. The film concludes with Adel's funeral, which is celebrated according to rituals in the Catholic and Afro-Cuban traditions. Notwithstanding its tragic ending, the film conveys a sense of relentless positive energy, known as Aché in Afro-Cuban belief. It shows how music and dance can bring joy and resilience, even in the face of hardship and challenging living conditions.

  • Pierpaolo Polzonetti
    Director
  • Pierpaolo Polzonetti
    Writer
  • Pierpaolo Polzonetti
    Producer
  • Adel Nuñez Castillo
    Key Cast
    "El Sabroso"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    32 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Cuba
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Newport Beach Film Festival
    Newport Beach
    United States
    October 23, 2025
    Oct 23, 20:00, The Lot 4 - 62.
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Pierpaolo Polzonetti

Pierpaolo Polzonetti is a musicologist, filmmaker, and author of prize-winning books and articles exploring music and culture from opera, jazz, Cuban popular music, and gastromusicology (music & food). His main interest is the exploration of the intersections of sensorialities and philosophical, spiritual, and political ideas. His work has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council for Learned Societies, and the Earhart Foundation. His work on Cuban music has been supported by the Cuban Research Institute (CRI), the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, and Florida International University Libraries. "El Sabroso" is his first documentary film, made with the support of the Department of Music of the University of California, Davis.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I have been traveling to Cuba many times in the last three years to study Cuban popular music. I made this documentary during my last two trips in May and August 2024. The documentary is about an extraordinary musician, his band, and his family. I first met Adel Nuñez, known as "El Sabroso,” in La Havana three years ago. He taught me how to play the Cuban tres guitar, an iconic instrument in Son music, while I was conducting research on music and food in Cuba. Tragically, on August 7, 2024, while I was in Cuba finishing the film, Adel passed away unexpectedly at the age of 38. I found myself shedding many tears during the final stages of post-production editing. However, the film itself conveys a sense of relentless positive energy, known as Aché in Afro-Cuban belief, and celebrates the transformative power of music. It demonstrates how music can bring joy and resilience, even in the face of hardship and challenging living conditions.