Washington Square News: movie critics

Fados (2007)
Dir: Carlos Saura

Without exaggeration, Carlos Saura’s latest music/dance performance collage is the most stirring and emotionally vibrant of this year’s line-up. “Fados” is an awesome labor of love lyrically constructed with the help of choreographer Patrick de Bana and award-winning cinematographers Jose Luis Lopez Linares and Eduardo Serra. “Fados” is an emotional journey through the present and the history of the culture of the Portugese “fado,” a kind of culture-specific hybrid of blues and folk singing largely accompanied by mandolin and guitar.

Set on a gorgeous lacquered soundstage, “Fados” is a tapestry of various incarnations of the genre, from modern hip-hop to archival footage of iconic singers. Though the last 15 minutes feels like a gauntlet, Saura’s cohesive vision makes it an exhilarating kind of exhaustion. Every performance is impassioned and filmed with a reverence and an intimate understanding that makes “Fados” an unforgettable experience. I must have this soundtrack.

By Simon Abrams