Wenders longtime friend Ry Cooder often enthused to Wenders about his trip to Cu ba and the album "Buena Vista Social Club" he had recorded there with some old Cuban musicians, some of whom had fallen into oblivion. The next time Cooder travelled to Cuba, Wenders accompanie d him with a
small film crew, observed the musicians in the studio and traced th eir
lives in Havana and also shot the only concerts given by the "Buena
Vista Social Club" in Amsterdam and in, their triumphal success in the
legendary Carnegie Hall.

The
documentary, a purely German production has become the most successful
Germa n movie world wide in 1999. Buena Vista Social Club was sold to
more than 50 ter ritories in the world. In the UK Buena Vista Social
Club has now become the most successful documentary of all time. The
film won numerous awards such as the Bo gey Award in Germany for more
than 1000 admissions per release print, Best Documentary and Audiences
Awards in many countries all over the world and the European Film
Academy Award for Best Documentary 1999.

Source: German films Service & Marketing GmbH