A colorful explosion of rhytms and music from Havana in the 1940s. This is a city and a time for great passion. In what is often called the Paris of the Caribbean, the rich and famous party into the hot Cuban nights. Young pianist Chico is one of many promising performers on the growing Cuban jazz scene. As the beautiful Rita enters the stage, he is spellbound. But their relationship is put to the test when Rita is drawn to the bright lights of New York. Their romance sets the backdrop for a journey that takes us to Havana, New York, Paris and Las Vegas over the course of more than 60 years.

It is no small feat directors Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal try to achieve here, but the fascinating story of Chico and Rita draws its audience to the screen. The film combines music and romance with an  animation style that is both simple and layered, with rich detailed backgrounds and almost naively drawn characters. The rough sketching, still portraying so much, is a perfect accompaniment to the great drama that is unfolding. The soundtrack plays an important part, with fantastic performances from some of the most significant jazz musicians of the post-war era: Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Chano Pozo among others. akek