Our Latin Thing. 1972. UK/USA. Directed by Leon Gast. DCP. In English, Spanish; English subtitles. 102 min.
On August 26, 1971, Fania Records, known for some of history’s greatest salsa recordings, gathered some of its best musicians, also known as the Fania All-Stars (Ray Barreto, Willie Colón, Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Héctor Lavoe, Pete Rodriguez, José Feliciano, and many others), for a live performance in Midtown Manhattan’s Latin music club Cheetah. Footage from that night, directed by documentary filmmaker Leon Gast, became Our Latin Thing, one of the most vibrant concert films of all time and a historical testament to New York’s Latin music scene, its cultural heritage, and its unique street life.