Rent is my all time favorite musical. It's story about love, friendship, and connection while dealing with poverty and AIDS (and so much more). As an American who has always known democracy and freedom I never really thought about what it is like in other countries that do not have such things. I had heard about Rent being performed in Cuba but just thought of it more as "oh it's another production" until I watched this documentary.
It is really well put together and I think captures both the emotion of Andy and his family, as well as the cast members learning what it is like to perform a piece like this. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have fled a country you were born in and then as a parent have to worry about your (grown) child's safety because he is willingly going there. Or as a grown child never having been to visit where your family is from and going when you know it is causing so much concern to your mother and siblings.
It was also chilling to see into the homes of some of the performers and how I take for granted things like running water and having a sink are not always the standard across the globe.
This is all done while interweaving footage from Andy having been involved with Rent and how impactful this was to mount this production and carrying on important Rent traditions. I really can't properly express how much I enjoyed this film.
It is really well put together and I think captures both the emotion of Andy and his family, as well as the cast members learning what it is like to perform a piece like this. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have fled a country you were born in and then as a parent have to worry about your (grown) child's safety because he is willingly going there. Or as a grown child never having been to visit where your family is from and going when you know it is causing so much concern to your mother and siblings.
It was also chilling to see into the homes of some of the performers and how I take for granted things like running water and having a sink are not always the standard across the globe.
This is all done while interweaving footage from Andy having been involved with Rent and how impactful this was to mount this production and carrying on important Rent traditions. I really can't properly express how much I enjoyed this film.