Agujetas, Cantaor

Agujetas, Cantaor

Manuel Agujetas is one of the greatest flamenco singers of all time, and one of the last representatives of the Jerez School and of the «Cante Jondo» in its oldest and purest form. Violently opposed to contemporary life, this free, eccentric personality has become a legend within the gypsy world. Agujetas can neither read nor write. He lives in true flamenco style in the suburbs of Jerez in the house he built himself. The film was shot there in the intimacy of his own home, with his Japanese wife who dances for him, in his garden, and at the forge his father left him, where he sings as he hammers at the anvil. He also sings at a «venta», a concert in a neighbouring village, accompanied by Moraito on the guitar. Agujetas’ 朋友們 – his real fans – help us to understand his art: they tell us about his beginnings, his very unusual personality and about his famous Flamenco father from whom he learnt everything and to whose art he has remained faithful.

PERFORMERS: Manuel Agujetas, Manuel Pantoja Carpio “Chicharito”, Rafael Romero Junquera “Rafa” , Gregorio Fernandez Junquera “Gregorio”
Awards: Golden Prague, 1999; Best Video Award – Academie Charles Cros 1999; Golden Spire – San Francisco International Film Festival 2000; Special Jury Prize – Classique en Images 2000; Best Film Music – Mediawave, Hungary 2000