El sistema

"Music to Change Lfie"

Apr 16 2009 Unrated 2h 0m
Documentary, Music

El Sistema is a network of childrens and youth orchestras, music centres and workshops in Venezuela, in which more than 250,000 children and young people are currently learning to play an instrument. It was set up over thirty years ago by José Antonio Abreu, who was driven by the utopian vision of a better future. In the dangerous and poverty-stricken shanty towns of Caracas, Abreu lifts children out of poverty through music, changing both people and structures. The film El Sistema shows how Abreus astonishing ideas have led the way out of the vicious circle of poverty - and how the power of music has been able to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people.

Plot

A film by Paul Smaczny and Maria Stodtmeier. Venezuela's unique system of music education takes children from violent slums and turns some of them into world-class musicians. El Sistema shows how Venezuelan visionary Jose Antonio Abreu has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of children over the past three decades. This lyrical and moving documentary takes us from the rubbish dumps and barrios of Caracas to the world's finest concert halls. Children from streets dominated by the gun battles of gang warfare are taken into music schools, given access to music, and taught through the model of the symphony orchestra how to build a better society. Paul Smaczny and Maria Stodtmeier's film finds hope and joy in unlikely places.

Written by

Paul Smaczny, Maria Stodtmeier

Directed by

Paul Smaczny, Maria Stodtmeier

Cast

Jose Antonio Abreu, Gustavo Dudamel

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

Venezuela

Languages

Español

Awards

1 nomination

Trailers
"El Sistema" • Trailer for the upcoming film
Scores
# of Votes
99
Average Rating
7.7 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA