About the film "El duque de la Bachata"

Working Title: El Duque de La Bachata

Producer: Adam Taub/Horizon Line Documentary. Horizon Line's mission statement is to sensitively tell insightful stories on a broad range of topics, thereby creating a virtual horizon line through the use of audio/visual media from which may construct a proper perspective of our world. For more information on Horizon Line's most recent completed documentary La Quinceañera click here.

Story: El Duque de la Bachata is the story of Joan Soriano, a Bachata Musician from the Dominican Republic, as he struggles to reach his goal of a hit CD and success as a musician. It is also the story of his large extended family living in the rural countryside of Monte Plata as they dream along with him, hoping that his success will improve their economic situation and quality of life. As a child, Joan's hands were protected by his father from the dangers of agricultural work after it was discovered that he had a talent for the guitar. Immediately upon this discovery, Joan, along with his siblings and other neighborhood kids formed a musical group and began performing for neighbors. Improvising with found object instruments such as homemade guitars, tin can maracas, glass bottles bass, and plastic bucket tamboras, they entertained others with merengues and bachatas that are native to the the Dominican Republic.

Joan is now 35 and lives with his girlfriend and son 20 minutes from Monte Plata in the barrio of Villa Mella that abuts Santo Domingo. Villa Mella has a strong Congolese influence and Joan's bachata, merengue, and salsa, draws heavily upon the Afro-Dominican tradition that flourishes in this barrio. Joan has been featured on the Rough Guide to the Bachata and on the documentary Santo Domingo Blues as well as performed and recorded with big name bachata musicians such as Joe Veras and Zacarias Ferreira. However, at 35 he has not had his own hit and he feels his time running out. At times, he battles with desperation and depression but continues forward with his music and dream. Within the last few years, a music producer named Benjamin de Menil from IASO Records has begun recording a CD of Joan's music and has high hopes for it's success. If Joan is going to make it the time is now.

In El Duque the rhythms of life are played out and the story of a family is written. Saturated with music, Dominican culture, intimate portraits, sabor dominicano, and the dreams of Joan and his family, "El Duque" provides an emotionally an intellectually satisfying story to those hungry for documentary video content with a soul.

Film's Status: The film is now in the final stages of Post-production. Planned release is scheduled for March 2009. Click Here if you would like to receive updates on the films status.

Process: The documentary was shot during a number of trips to the Dominican Republic. The Director Adam Taub will be the primary cameraman during the process and the crew will be kept small. Joan and other characters in the film will also get a chance to shoot with the camera capturing their own take of Dominican culture. The filmmaker will focus on establishing trust with the "characters" of the documentary in order to create a work that is respectful of their lives and stories. This documentary process will help facilitate an intimate look at the characters, music and culture of the Dominican Republic.

Target Audience: El Duque de la Bachata is a documentary that will have broad international appeal because of the strong character driven story of a man pursuing his dream, a longing many can relate to. Bachata and merengue music and dance are enjoying great popularity in Latin America, The U.S. and Europe at this time. The Dominican Republic has the largest tourist industry in the Caribbean with tens of thousands of Americans, Germans, French and English visiting each year, gaining exposure to the music and culture. In addition to its international appeal, there are over 9 million Dominicans that are hungry for content which sensitively represents their culture and music. Large Dominican populations exist outside of the Dominican Republic as well including 1 million Dominicans in New York, and large populations in Boston, Florida and Spain. There is a fast growing demand for Hispanic video content and this documentary will participate in meeting that demand.

Buena Vista Social Club is an example of a documentary that achieved success portraying a character driven story and Latin music. Shot in Cuba and New York Wim Wenders's film was released to critical acclaim, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary feature and winning numerous accolades including Best Documentary at the European Film Awards. The film became a box office success, grossing $23,002,182 worldwide. Critics were generally enthusiastic about the story and especially the music. The success of both the album and film sparked a revival of international interest in traditional Cuban music and Latin American music in general. The CD sold more than five million copies and won a Grammy award in 1998.

El Duque shares many of the elements that made Buena Vista Social Club successful. Upon completion El Duque will begin the film festival circuit in the US and abroad and secure distribution channels in the US and international markets. The film will also take advantage of online distribution channels via DVD sales, downloads, and new delivery formats.