A Riff for Lazaro

A young amateur Cuban trumpet-player searches for the Havana sound. He finds it, but not where he was looking. He needs a new mouthpiece that his friend offers, but cannot afford it. When he learns that his long estranged father has a special mouthpiece, the film becomes a quest for it.

This film is superbly photographed, with the camera usually stationary throughout using pitch and tilt to direct your attention. The shots follow your eyes' natural movements (especially the static shots from within the apartment blocks using wide angle lenses) and the blocking follows the characters and objects of interest in the frame. The film is crisply edited and features excellent musical performances.

The actors are uninventive but professionally deliver the lines with a minimum of fuss, not drawing unneeded attention, leaving the story clear and letting us enjoy the journey through the city.