Packed with fantastically exuberant music, this is a stylish biopic about the late Colombian musician Joe Arroyo (1955 – 2011); tormented genius and indisputable superstar of the 1980s salsa revival.
‘El Joe’ fizzes with passion and talent as he celebrates Mother Africa for his musical inspiration; we see his legendary melodies born from his obsessive cassette recording techniques, and his band driven to distraction in an endless practice session. But he also has a self-destructive streak that ruins his relationships and gradually destroys his body – his drug addiction and deteriorating health are reflected in the film’s claustrophobic, non-chronological structure, in which scenes woozily slip across time and place throughout his stellar career. A psychedelic journey into the darkest corners of a creative genius.
Before the screening on Fri 19 Apr there will be a free salsa performance in the ground floor bar, 19:30-20:30.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy the spectacle and audience participation is encouraged! With thanks to staff from the Instituto Cervantes in Manchester.
You can now select your favourite seats in our cinema!
We’re rolling out reserved seating across our cinemas, starting with ¡Viva! This is to improve access for audiences and provide an even better customer experience.