Our very own Francine Pelletier and David Sherman are producing two Montreal dates for the Buenos Aires band Astillero, a six-man band who is said to be rewriting the rules of Tango. Yes the Paris-based Gotan Project brought much credibility to the genre, but Astillero go much further by being strong proponents of the Maquina Tanguera movement. Astillero resists the tango for export or tourist tango wave. As much as Argentina is changing, the art form has to change and reflect the reality of Buenos Aires today. For them, as David says, “tango is a cause.” That’s why Francine and David are behind a documentary that will chronicle the rise of Maquina Tanguera. Because as Francine explains, “the Maquina Tanguera is as much cultural as it is political.” This new take on tango is what they want to get on film.
